17/10/2025
For many adolescent girls and women in Madhesh, leadership has long felt like a distant idea. Social norms, gender roles, and systemic barriers often leave little room for us to speak up, let alone step forward. That’s why the launch of the SheLeads Leadership Institute’s first cohort (Cohort 01) in Lahan Municipality this October was a space to imagine something different.
The training, held from October 12–17, 2025 (26–31 Ashoj 2082), covered key topics such as leadership and social identity, harmful traditional practices, legal rights, communication, community project design, and local governance. Participants engaged in activities that encouraged them to challenge myths around who can lead, to identify barriers in their communities, and to co-create solutions through teamwork and creativity. Visits to local government offices gave them practical exposure to civic structures, helping them understand not just their rights, but also how to exercise them.
This first cohort marks the beginning of SheLeads’ broader implementation across three municipalities in Madhesh Province: Karjanha, Lahan, and Ganeshman Charnath. The program is rooted in the belief that safe, inclusive, and intentional spaces can unlock leadership potential where it’s been overlooked for too long.
Kindly stay tuned with the journeys of this generation of changemakers who know their worth, understand their rights, and are ready to lead from where they are.
We are sincerely grateful to Helvetas Nepal, for their partnership and to Ursula Zindel Hilti Foundation, for their support. The leadership institute wouldn’t have been a success if it wasn’t for their support throughout.
