Across the continent, young Africans are navigating insecurity, unemployment, political exclusion, weak institutions, and shrinking democratic space. For many, migration is no longer a dream of adventure, it is a survival strategy.

This reflects deeper structural failures: economies that do not create jobs at scale, governance systems that fail to inspire trust, conflicts that rob communities of stability, and a global order that extracts value from Africa while restricting African mobility.

This Friday, the Women in Geopolitics Debate moves this conversation forward by placing youth voices at the centre of the geopolitical discussion.

We will ask difficult but necessary questions:

• Is youth migration primarily a governance failure?

• Can economic reform and industrialisation meaningfully reduce forced migration?

• What is the responsibility of African governments, and what is the responsibility of Europe?

• How do we restore dignity so that staying becomes a viable choice?

???? Meet the Young Speakers

This session features dynamic young African leaders who bring lived experience, policy insight, and continental vision:

If Africa’s future belongs to its youth, then their analysis must shape Africa’s strategy.

???? Friday, 13 February 2026
? 11:00 AM SAST | 12:00 PM EAT | 10:00 AM WAT
???? Virtual (Zoom)

CALL FOR SPEAKERS

Leading Women of Africa (LWA) invites male and female experts from across Africa and the diaspora to contribute to the Women in Geopolitics Debate Series – Season 1.

We welcome expressions of interest from:

• Diplomats and former diplomats

• Policymakers and parliamentarians

• Academics and researchers

• Peace and security practitioners

• Governance and gender experts

• Civil society leaders

• Independent analysts and strategists