About AGS
Empowering Adolescent Girls Across Africa
A transformative platform where adolescent girls connect, share their stories, build solidarity, and amplify their voices to advocate for their rights and challenge harmful gender norms.
Our Story
From Vision to Adolescent and Youth-Led Movement
Consultation, Ideation & Kickoff Planning
GFC partners in Liberia and Sierra Leone co-created the idea for the Adolescent Girls Summit as a pilot to model meaningful, youth-led spaces where girls could build confidence and advocate for their rights. GFC and youth-led partner YOCEL reviewed past adolescent girls' events and consulted girls across Liberia and Sierra Leone to shape an inclusive, girl-centered summit design.
GFC, YOCEL, and partners developed guiding principles and a planning structure that placed adolescents at the center. Girls and boys elected peers to form a Regional Adolescent Advisory Panel. Adolescent representatives designed the summit's branding, agenda, and materials through virtual and in-person sessions that strengthened leadership and advocacy.
Inaugural Summit
In April 2022, 100 adolescent girls and boys from Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Ethiopia convened for the first-ever Africa Adolescent Girls Summit in Marshall, Liberia.
The summit established a model of adolescent and youth-led planning and intergenerational dialogue. Participants developed a Call to Action that was presented directly to the Vice President of Liberia.
Francophone Adolescent Girls Summit
With GFC's expansion to Guinea and Côte d'Ivoire, adolescents organized the first Francophone AGS, hosted in Danané, Côte d'Ivoire, bringing new partners and countries into the initiative.
Regional Expansion
The second AGS expanded to 200 participants from 10 West African countries. The summit created spaces for meaningful intergenerational and policy dialogue, bringing together adolescents and youth, religious leaders, government officials, civil society organizations, UN agencies and Funders. There was also a dedicated session on healthy masculinities.
A Year-Round Adolescent and Youth-Led Movement
AGS has evolved beyond a biennial convening into a continuous adolescent and youth-led movement. The Adolescent and Youth Influencers Movement connects 300+ young leaders across Africa through dedicated WhatsApp groups for ongoing collaboration and advocacy.
Participants return to their communities as leaders and peer educators spreading knowledge and advocating for gender justice, sexual and reproductive health and rights.
Our Approach
What Makes AGS Different
Focus on Adolescent Girls
Adolescent girls face intersecting challenges including harmful practices, limited access to education and health services, violence, poverty, and exclusion from decision-making. Yet too often, these realities are overlooked or discussed without girls' voices. AGS highlights these issues to shift the narrative, from seeing girls as victims to recognizing them as rights holders and powerful change agents with solutions and leadership to offer.
100% Adolescent and Youth-Led
Every aspect of AGS from planning to facilitation is led by adolescents and youth through the Regional Adolescent Girls Advisory Panel (RAGAP). Adults provide support, not direction.
Promoting Healthy Masculinity
At the request of girls, boys are included as allies for gender justice. Dedicated sessions on healthy masculinities help build sustainable alliances for change.
Intergenerational and Policy Dialogue
AGS connects adolescents and youth directly with decision-makers, government officials, traditional leaders, UN agencies, and civil society to co-create solutions and drive policy change.
Inclusive Participation
AGS prioritizes marginalized groups, rural girls, girls with disabilities, teenage mothers, and girls living with HIV. Ensuring diverse representation from across participating countries.
Strategic Vision
AGS 2026-2030 Roadmap
In July 2024, the Adolescent and Youth Influencers Movement, with the support of GFC and partners, held a series of reflection meetings to brainstorm how the AGS platform should evolve from 2026 and beyond. Through these discussions they co‑created a strategic plan emphasizing continental expansion, sustained year‑round movement building, strengthened adolescent leadership and representation, inclusive participation, and cross‑regional knowledge exchange.
3rd Edition in West Africa
The 3rd AGS will solidify the movement's foundation in West Africa while inviting East and Southern African representatives to prepare them to lead the 2028 summit.
Location: Côte d'Ivoire
4th Edition in East Africa
AGS is expected to take place in East Africa, highlighting regional issues while maintaining cross-regional knowledge exchange with West and Southern African participants.
Location: East African Country (TBD)
Africa-Wide Summit
A landmark continental summit reviewing progress on the SDGs and African Union (AU) Agenda 2063, bringing together adolescents and youth from across Africa.
Location: African Country (TBD)
Our Impact
Transformative Results
Comprehensive post-summit reviews have documented the profound impact AGS has on participants and partner organizations.
Impact on Adolescents and Youth
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1
Enhanced Self-Confidence
Girls report significant boosts in self-confidence and are standing up for their rights.
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2
Leadership Development
Many girls boldly embrace leadership roles and become advocates for their rights in their family, schools, and communities
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3
Community Change Agents
Girls and boys become catalysts for positive change in their homes, schools, and communities
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4
Boys Embracing Healthy Masculinities
Boys develop a deeper understanding of healthy masculinities and become active champions for gender equality in their communities
Impact on Local Organizations Working with Adolescents and Youth
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1
Enhanced Capacity to Listen to the voices of Adolescent and Youth
Partners developed stronger skills in actively listening to and valuing adolescent experiences
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2
Reinforced Belief in Girls Capacity and Potential
Organizations now have stronger conviction in girls' potential to lead and drive meaningful change
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3
Meaningful Involvement in Decision Making Spaces
Many partners have integrated adolescent and youth representation into their advisory boards and decision-making
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4
Improved Structured Teen-Talk Programs
Local organizations developed comprehensive tools to facilitate structured Teen-Talk programs that better engage adolescents and youth on issues affecting them.
Collective action for sustainable Impact
Diverse Partner Collaboration
The Summit unites a wide range of partners, combining financial, technical, and in-kind resources to maximize collective impact
Cross-Program Connections
Creating a collaborative platform that links adolescent girls from different programs and countries across Africa
Collective Advocacy & Influence
Partners working together to amplify adolescent and youth voices and drive coordinated advocacy at local, national, and regional levels
Building a Lasting Impact
Through collaboration, AGS transforms a convening moment into a sustained movement led by and for adolescents and youth
Gallery
AGS in Pictures
"It is important for boys to work with girls in achieving gender equality as it promotes a unified effort towards changing societal barriers."Francis Emmanuel Ensah Adolescent Influencers Movement