Leading (In)visible Spaces: Strengthening the Leadership Skills of Young Women in Rural Communities of Nepal

Abstract

For most of us in Nepal, the image of a leader is that of an upper-caste, upper-class, older man. It may not seem like a big issue but this automatic visualization of men as leaders is a huge barrier to welcoming more women in leadership roles. The landscape of leadership is changing in Nepal and a collective intervention from the development sector and the worldwide phenomenon of the rise in the number of women leaders has played a vital part. There have been numerous projects in both rural and urban areas to empower women and enhance their skills but very few focus specifically on young women honing their leadership skills. A blanket approach to empowering women does not work because they are not a homogeneous group with the same needs, and we must adapt, tweak and contextualize these projects to address the aspirations of young women. This project aims to equip young women in rural communities with the skills, knowledge, and networks to become leaders and changemakers and challenge how leadership is understood in Nepal.

The project includes various sessions on leadership, followership, public speaking, active listening, teamwork, civic engagement, privilege and bias, gender stereotypes, etc. that teach fellows a myriad of leadership skills. Mentorship, which is a relatively new concept in Nepal, is another aspect the project focuses on. It will connect fellows with leaders to help them in the leadership journey on which they are embarking. Another aspect of the project is developing group impact projects that tackle various social issues in the participants’ community and provide opportunities for young women to showcase their leadership skills. The end goal is for them to be able to use the skills anywhere: home, community, and senior positions in organizations. The adolescent girls and young women from different ethnic, cultural and lived experiences will participate in program design, planning, delivery, and evaluation. They are integrated into all levels of the project to ensure that the activities remain relevant and impactful. Young women are aware of the situations they live in; the project is a medium to unleash their potential because young women are not the future, but the present of development.