In Rwanda, a voice arose fuelled by passion and destined to ignite transformative change. It is 23-year-old Diana, a young sexual and reproductive health and rights advocate. She shares with us her aspirations for the future girls want, and her advocacy journey.
It wasn’t until Diana stepped into high school, and navigated the complexity of social norms, that her passion for girls’ rights found purpose. From the corridors of an all-girls school in ordinary level to the classrooms of a co-ed school in advanced level, she witnessed the differences of gender disparity.
“Through our voices, we shattered the silence, demanding equality and respect for all genders.”
Diana, 23
Firstly she witnessed that girls felt afraid to speak out during and on topics surrounding menstruation, as they were always shamed by boys, who would laugh at them and silence their voices.
“One day, a girl who was menstruating was shamed in the classroom because she had dirtied her skirt. She remained quiet and couldn’t find the courage to speak out. I have always been a passionate person who enjoyed expressing her opinions, and not frightened of criticism,” Diana states.
Challenging gender inequalities within school
During her early days at the school, an NGO brought the opportunity to Diana and her classmates to attend a two-month training course about gender equality, leadership, and other aspects of women’s empowerment. As a result, the training inspired the girls to speak out, and express all the challenges they encounter.
“Comprehensive sexuality education challenges gender stereotypes and promotes gender equality by fostering respect and understanding among young people.”
Diana, 23
“Our ‘feminist’ label became our rallying cry, fuelling our courage to speak out against normalised injustices. Through our voices, we shattered the silence, demanding equality and respect for all genders,” Diana shares.
Together, as she witnesses, their voices became the catalysts, sparking conversations that cast aside the shadows of stigma and inequality at her school. Stigma and inequality that was mainly hindering girls.
“From speaking out, change emerged, starting within my classroom. Period stigma faded away, and then girls and boys also gained equal rights in all activities such as cleaning classrooms,” explains Diana.
Comprehensive sexuality education as an empowerment tool
After completing her high school studies, Diana seized the opportunity to volunteer as a junior sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and gender trainer. At university she studied and completed a degree in International Business and Trade. However, she continued her SRHR advocacy, ignited by the training she received during secondary school.
Although her path to becoming a youth activist has not been as extensive as she had hoped, she remains committed. From national engagements to global platforms, Diana continues to learn and embrace opportunities for self-growth. Her advocacy work on SRHR issues allows her to amplify the voices of youth at every turn.
“From speaking out, change emerged, starting within my classroom. Period stigma faded away, and then girls and boys also gained equal rights in all activities such as cleaning classrooms.”
Diana, 23
“Comprehensive sexuality education equips girls with the knowledge and skills to make informed decisions, navigate healthy relationships, and protect themselves from sexual violence and exploitation. It also challenges gender stereotypes and promotes gender equality by fostering respect and understanding among young people,” explains Diana.
Diana’s future aspirations include:
• Advocating for policy reforms and revisions to promote community awareness campaigns, and collaborate with stakeholders to ensure the provision of inclusive, quality SRHR services and education, especially for youth, to address key societal problems, mainly the high rate of teenage pregnancies.
• Speaking up to challenge harmful societal norms and stigma’s surrounding SRHR that lead to gender-based violence.
• Calling for the strengthening of youth-friendly health services, and sufficient implementation of comprehensive sexuality education in schools.
#FutureGirlsWant
Diana is a member of AfriYAN Rwanda, a dynamic youth-led network in Rwanda that represents, connects, and engages every day with young people to advance their health, a gender-just and violence-free society, and sustainable development for young people.
Among the advocacy opportunities she has embraced is her involvement in the Network of Rwandan Parliamentarians on Population and Development. She has been selected in various technical working groups at the Rwanda Biomedical Centre, including the SRHR Technical Working Group, the Adolescent Girls and Young Women Technical Working Group, among others.
At the 2023 Women Deliver that was held in Kigali, Diana was among the panelists, discussing the impact of SRHR in the private sector.
Today, she is an integral part of the She Decides Youth Advisory Panel. As a Plan International Rwanda’s youth advocate, Diana recently participated in the Global Youth Dialogue held in Benin on March 4, 2024. She took charge as the moderator for the session “The Path to Sexual Wellbeing” at the Global Youth Dialogue, part of the ongoing 30-year review of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD 30+).
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