Girls Wanna Run! Training Nepal's Generation Next!

Young Women's Political Leadership Course (YWPLC) is one of our flagship courses designed for Nepali women aged 18 to 25 who aspire to have a political career. The course aims to provide them with essential knowledge, communication and analytical skills, professional experience, and networks that will help them actively participate in Nepal's politics.

The intensive 8-month program is divided into various modules, one of which is the experiential learning field trip. During this trip, our Fellows get the opportunity to spend a week outside of the valley, engaging with local representatives and mayors. The aim of the trip is to provide the Fellows with hands-on learning experiences with local leaders, ward chairpersons, women representatives/leaders, mayors, and deputy mayors from outside Province 3.

The field visit was organized to educate 18 young women between the ages of 18 and 25 about the structure and functioning of local government, including the roles and responsibilities of elected officials and the role of women in political leadership. The program was based in Madesh Province and lasted five days, from January 8th to January 13th, 2024. During this time, 15 fellows and the YWPLC team completed a field visit to the Madesh Province. The fellows had the opportunity to interact with local government heads from Basbariya rural municipality's ward five elected officials and Ms. Gita, one of the few female mayors of Nepal, from Surunga Municipality. They also met with elected officials of ward chairs of Bhangaha Municipality, staff members from the municipality office, and local female leaders of Janakpur, the headquarters of Madesh province. During the field visit, the fellows delivered sessions on 'Understanding Local Leadership' and 'Child Marriage.'

Here’s what one of the fellow has to say about the field trip:

The YWPLC Madhesh Pradesh trip was very enlightening for me. I witnessed my community reaching out to the government for help and development. As a media student and a Madhesi person, I have realized the power of media in bringing out unspoken social and political disparities in our country, and have a fresh motivation to work to direct development on the dark and shadowed villages and municipalities in rural areas of Nepal. I feel inspired and most excited to design an advocacy project that pushes me out of my comfort zone. There is not one, but so many parts of me that have seen light after being politically aware and looking at ‘leadership’ as a place for change for me and my community. - Priyanjali