Executive Summary
Global development agendas are increasingly shaped by complex challenges such as climate change, inequality, public health crises, digital transformation, and economic instability. Addressing these interconnected issues requires innovative leadership that is inclusive, adaptive, and globally informed. Emerging leaders—young professionals, grassroots organizers, social entrepreneurs, and early-career policymakers—bring fresh perspectives, lived experience, and innovative solutions, yet they remain underrepresented in global decision-making spaces.
The project Empowering Emerging Leaders to Influence Global Development Agendas aims to build the capacity, networks, and platforms necessary for emerging leaders from diverse backgrounds to actively engage in global development processes. The initiative will equip participants with leadership skills, policy literacy, advocacy tools, and access to global forums, enabling them to contribute meaningfully to international development dialogue and decision-making.
Aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions), SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals), and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), the project will be implemented over a 24-month period. Through structured training, mentorship, policy labs, and global networking opportunities, the project will cultivate a cohort of emerging leaders capable of shaping inclusive and sustainable development agendas at local, national, and international levels.
Problem Statement
Global development policies are often shaped by a limited group of established actors, resulting in decision-making processes that may overlook grassroots realities and emerging global trends. While international forums increasingly recognize the importance of inclusive leadership, meaningful participation by emerging leaders remains constrained by barriers such as limited access to global platforms, inadequate policy exposure, and insufficient institutional support.
Emerging leaders, particularly those from low- and middle-income countries, marginalized communities, and underrepresented regions, face systemic challenges in influencing global development agendas. These challenges include financial constraints, lack of mentorship, limited professional networks, and insufficient understanding of global governance structures. As a result, innovative ideas and locally grounded solutions struggle to reach global policy arenas.
The exclusion of emerging leaders weakens the legitimacy, relevance, and effectiveness of global development strategies. Without deliberate investment in leadership development and inclusive participation, global agendas risk remaining disconnected from the realities of communities they aim to serve. There is an urgent need for programs that empower emerging leaders with the skills, confidence, and platforms required to engage meaningfully in global development decision-making.
Target Beneficiaries
Primary Beneficiaries
- Emerging leaders aged 21–40, including young professionals, researchers, social entrepreneurs, and activists
- Leaders from underrepresented regions and marginalized communities
- Early-career professionals working in development, climate action, governance, and social innovation
Secondary Beneficiaries
- Civil society organizations and community networks
- Academic and research institutions
- Policymakers and international development institutions
Indirect beneficiaries include communities that benefit from more inclusive, responsive, and innovative global development policies.
Goal and Objectives
Overall Goal
To empower emerging leaders to actively influence global development agendas through capacity building, mentorship, and access to decision-making platforms.
Specific Objectives
- To strengthen leadership, policy, and advocacy skills among emerging leaders.
- To increase emerging leaders’ participation in global development forums and networks.
- To promote cross-regional collaboration and peer learning.
- To support evidence-based contributions to global development policy processes.
- To institutionalize pathways for emerging leaders’ engagement in global governance.
Project Approach
The project adopts a leadership-centered, participatory, and equity-focused approach. Emerging leaders will be engaged as co-creators rather than passive beneficiaries. The program emphasizes diversity, gender equality, and inclusion of voices from marginalized and underrepresented contexts.
The approach integrates training, mentorship, experiential learning, and policy engagement. By combining theoretical knowledge with practical exposure, the project ensures that participants are equipped to navigate and influence global development spaces effectively.
Key Approaches
- Capacity Development: Structured training on leadership, global governance, and policy influence.
- Mentorship: Pairing emerging leaders with experienced global development professionals.
- Network Building: Creating cross-regional peer networks and partnerships.
- Policy Engagement: Facilitating participation in global dialogues and policy labs.
- Equity and Inclusion: Ensuring diverse representation and inclusive participation.
Project Activities
- Selection and Cohort Formation
- Develop transparent selection criteria
- Identify and recruit emerging leaders from diverse regions
- Establish a cohort of 40–50 participants
- Leadership and Policy Training
- Training modules on global development frameworks and SDGs
- Workshops on leadership, negotiation, and strategic communication
- Sessions on ethics, inclusive governance, and systems thinking
- Mentorship Program
- Match participants with global development mentors
- Regular mentorship sessions and career guidance
- Peer mentoring and learning circles
- Policy Labs and Innovation Hubs
- Thematic policy labs addressing global challenges
- Support participants to develop policy briefs and advocacy strategies
- Facilitate collaboration with experts and institutions
- Global Engagement and Networking
- Support participation in international conferences and forums
- Organize global webinars and dialogue sessions
- Facilitate engagement with international organizations
- Knowledge Production and Advocacy
- Publish policy briefs, blogs, and case studies
- Support participants to contribute to global policy consultations
- Disseminate insights through digital platforms
- Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning
- Track leadership growth and policy influence
- Conduct reflection sessions and learning reviews
- Document lessons learned and best practices
Implementation Plan
The project will be implemented over 24 months in four phases. The first phase will focus on recruitment, baseline assessments, and program design. The second phase will emphasize leadership training and mentorship. The third phase will support policy labs, global engagement, and advocacy initiatives. The final phase will focus on evaluation, documentation, and sustainability planning.
A dedicated project management team will coordinate implementation in collaboration with partner organizations and global institutions. Regular coordination and learning sessions will ensure adaptive management and accountability.
Monitoring and Evaluation
A results-based monitoring and evaluation framework will guide project implementation. Indicators will assess changes in leadership capacity, participation in global forums, and influence on policy processes.
Key M&E tools include:
- Baseline and endline leadership assessments
- Participation and engagement tracking
- Qualitative interviews and case studies
- Mid-term and final evaluations
Participatory learning approaches will ensure continuous improvement.
Sustainability Plan
The project emphasizes long-term impact through:
- Strengthening alumni networks and peer support mechanisms
- Embedding leadership development within partner institutions
- Creating ongoing opportunities for policy engagement
- Supporting resource mobilization for continued leadership initiatives
Graduates of the program will serve as mentors and advocates, ensuring continuity and scalability.
Risk Management
Potential risks include limited access to global forums, participant attrition, and external political constraints. Mitigation strategies include flexible participation models, strong mentorship support, and diversified engagement platforms.
Conclusion
Empowering emerging leaders is critical to shaping inclusive, innovative, and sustainable global development agendas. This project provides a structured and scalable pathway for emerging leaders to influence decision-making processes and contribute meaningfully to global policy discourse. By investing in leadership, networks, and inclusive participation, the initiative will help build a more equitable and effective global development system.
