Girls in Governance Camp Empowers Belize’s Future Women Leaders

The Department of Youth Services, in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), has launched this year’s Girls in Governance Summer Camp, bringing together young women between the ages of 14 and 19 for a week of learning and engagement.  The initiative focuses on exposing participants to leadership opportunities, governance concepts, and tools that can help them become more confident voices within their communities. Love News visited the Kindred Spirits campgrounds, where we spoke with Director of the Department of Youth Services, Indira Loague.

Indira Loague, Director, Department of Youth Services: “So today you’re seeing the first day of our Women in Governance camp, our Girls in Governance camp. This is a partnership between the Department of Youth and UNDP. So today commences the first day of our Women in Parliament camp. It’s about women in leadership roles, or women who want to assume leadership roles. So basically governance in partnership with our sponsor UNDP. So they will be here for six days.”

Throughout the week, participants will take part in discussions, activities, and interactive sessions designed to build awareness around civic responsibility and decision-making. Camp Director Sabrina Enright explained the purpose of creating this space for young women and what they can expect from the experience.

Sabrina Enwright, Camp Director: “This camp is designed to engage 50 young women to enhance their leadership skills and to also enhance their understanding of civic engagement and just basically how the government works and throughout this week long camp will be engaging in several activities and sessions that deal with digital literacy, how the government works, and who holds the power and everything like that. And it’s not only about just sessions and stuff like that. We will also be participating in more fun activities like sports. We also planned a fun treasure hunt so the girls not only just to kind of have a balance of not only work but also play as well. The camp also provides the girls in attendance an opportunity to interact and network and like I said to strengthen their leadership skills because I believe our young women or our young people on a whole are the future leaders of Belize so it is important for them to get a proper understanding of how the government works and properly equip them with the tools necessary to prepare them as our future leaders.”

The Department of Youth Services says the Girls in Governance Summer Camp reflects its continued partnerships with UNDP and UNICEF, the department continues to expand programs that support youth development across Belize