Since October 2018, the WAVE Youth Ambassadors initiative has been empowering young people with the skills and opportunities to prevent and address violence against women and girls. The initiative promotes youth inclusion, fosters leadership, encourages collaboration, and drives community-level change through youth-led activities and actions, ensuring sustained youth engagement in tackling gender-based violence and discrimination.
2024
In February, Youth Ambassadors Lena Östlund (Sweden) and Raphaëlle Jouannic (France) co-hosted the roundtable “Cyberviolences & Intersectionnalité” in Paris, France. Building on the previous year’s “I Am a Woman/Girl in Cyberspace” campaign, the event brought together racialized women, gender minorities, activists, experts, and policymakers to discuss the complex layers of cyberviolence. Among the speakers were prominent voices Hajar Outaik (#StopFisha), Vanessa Chicout (Afrogameuses), Laure Salmona (Féministes Contre le Cyberharcèlement), Marie Dubost (Fondation Nationale Solidarité Femmes – FNSF), Shani Benoualid, co-founder of #JeSuisLà and digital advisor at DILCRAH; and Louise Aubery, influencer @MyBetterSelf.The event was supported by the French Ambassador for Women’s Rights for and Secretary General of the Generation Equality Forum, Delphine O., and FNSF Director General, Mine Günbay. A comprehensive set of recommendations was published based on the discussions, accessible here. Around the same time, Youth Ambassador Teodora Mileska (North Macedonia) launched a social media campaign around International Women’s Day, raising awareness of Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV) through informative visuals that explained its forms and impacts. Also in February, Doga Gunduz (Cyprus) represented the Youth Ambassadors as a speaker at the Girls Human Rights Festival in London, participating in the Advocacy Bootcamp and joining a panel discussion that focused on feminist activism, challenges, and strategies to overcome systemic barriers.
In May, preparations were underway for the second WAVE Rave Vienna, and as part of that, Aliz Bineth (Hungary) organized a Menstruation Workshop at the Central European University’s Budapest campus. This workshop, facilitated by Aliz and peer educators trained by WAVE members NANE and Patent, engaged 17 high school students in a conversation around menstrual stigma, rights, and education. The open and inclusive format created a safe space for dialogue and highlighted the need for comprehensive menstruation education in schools for all genders. Also in May, a key Youth Ambassador training session was held to build facilitation skills across the group. Led by WAVE Project and Youth Ambassador Coordinator Branislava Arađan and Communications Coordinator Beverly Mtui, the 2-hour online session focused on both online and in-person facilitation techniques.
In June, following the facilitation training, the Youth Ambassadors began implementing the peer-to-peer training model by conducting the first of two online webinar for young European activists aged 16–30. These sessions provided foundational knowledge and practical tools for building effective campaigns and leading advocacy efforts against violence against women and girls, based on the WAVE campaigning and advocacy toolkit for young activists. The approach emphasized peer learning to foster relatable, engaging environments and enhance the reach of WAVE’s educational resources. On 22 June, the WAVE Rave Vienna brought together over 300 participants at Sigmund Freud Park in Vienna, under the slogan “Break the Stigma and Talk About It.” Organized by Aliz Bineth with funding from the Open Society University Network, the event addressed period inequality, combining music, performances, and speeches. Alongside these, informational stands hosted by various organisations provided resources on sexual and reproductive rights, menstruation and period inequality.This initiative was also WAVE’s most-viewed activity on Instagram in 2024.
In July, the WAVE campaigning and advocacy toolkit for young activists was further disseminated through a workshop at the Empowerment Summer School in Warsaw, Poland. Led by Branislava Arađan, this in-person training gathered 28 girls (ages 16-24) to explore creative strategies to build campaigns under the Safer Cities for Girls project, organized by WAVE member Juniper.
In August, to mark International Youth Day 2024, Youth Ambassadors Doga Gunduz (Cyprus) and Selin Özünaldım (Türkiye) recorded a podcast episode aligned with the theme “From Clicks to Progress: Youth Digital Pathways for Sustainable Development.” In this episode, they discussed their personal journeys as feminist activists, reflected on the digital tools shaping their work, and shared the challenges and triumphs of engaging in youth-led advocacy for gender equality. Teodora Mileska wrote “Period Justice for All: The Case of North Macedonia”, published in the WAVE online magazine. The article sheds light on the socio-economic barriers to menstrual health, including the high cost of menstrual products, lack of education, and pervasive stigma. At the same time, Raphaëlle Jouannic and Lena Östlund published “Multi‑Stakeholder Collaboration to Combat Cyberviolence & Cybersexism: Insights from Youth Activists”, a reflective piece capturing the key learnings and calls to action stemming from their campaign and roundtable in Paris. The article emphasizes the power of intersectional approaches and the necessity of collaboration between youth, policymakers, and civil society to make digital spaces safer.
September saw Youth Ambassador Aliz Bineth attending the 26th WAVE Conference in Vienna. Held under the theme “From emergency support to violence prevention: 30 years of championing women’s rights,” the event offered a deep dive into primary prevention strategies.
The momentum continued into October, when Project and Youth Ambassador Coordinator Branislava Arađan represented the initiative at the Beijing+30 Regional Review Meeting in Geneva. As a speaker on a panel dedicated to ending violence against women and girls, she emphasized the critical role of youth engagement and highlighted the work of Youth Ambassadors. Organized by UNECE and UN Women Europe and Central Asia, the meeting convened ministers, civil society, and youth organizations to assess progress on gender equality in the ECE region. In addition, WAVE launched an open call for the 4th generation of Youth Ambassadors. This call marked an important step in ensuring continuity and intergenerational exchange within the initiative, culminating in the selection of 10 new Youth Ambassadors by the end of the year.
In November, WAVE officially welcomed the 4th generation of Youth Ambassadors through an online conference titled “Empowering Connections: Launching the Journey of the 4th Generation.” Held on 26 November, the conference aimed to connect incoming YAs with the outgoing cohort and equip them with vital knowledge and tools. The program featured a session on Feminist Project Management, led by Youth Ambassador Raphaëlle Jouannic, and an advocacy workshop facilitated by Eliana Jimeno, WAVE’s Senior Advocacy Advisor. This laid the groundwork for intergenerational collaboration and introduced the newly developed Resource Kit on Feminist Project Management. The second peer-to-peer webinar was conducted, reinforcing the skills and strategies introduced earlier in the year. Through these sessions, the Youth Ambassadors continued to engage young people across Europe, emphasizing collective action, youth empowerment, and campaign design tailored to local contexts.Finally, in December, Youth Ambassadors Aliz and Raphaëlle took the stage at the EIGE Gender Equality Forum in Brussels. They co-facilitated a workshop on Primary Prevention to End Gender-Based Violence with Belgian WAVE member Garance. This session explored prevention across primary, secondary, and tertiary levels, integrating intergenerational and intersectional approaches. Raphaëlle also participated in a focus group to contribute to a guide on effective messaging in anti-gender-based violence advocacy. These participations once again highlighted the Youth Ambassadors’ role as thought leaders and change-makers in European feminist spaces. December also marked the release of a vital new resource: the WAVE Toolkit on Feminist Self-Care for Young Activists and Young Professionals. Developed to support the mental and physical well-being of young changemakers, this toolkit offers practical strategies to sustain resilience, balance activism with self-care, and foster collective care in the context of feminist work.
2023
In March, in response to the UN’s call for a gender-responsive digital world, Youth Ambassadors Lena Östlund, Raphaelle Jouannic (France), and Ilvana Dedja (Albania) launched the “I Am a Woman/Girl in Cyberspace” campaign. On International Women’s Day, they released a video titled “A Woman in Cyberspace: Building a Better Digital Future for Women and Girls”, featuring a conversation between Ilvana, Lena, and Lella Violet Halloum, a Digital Changemaker and Power of Youth Champion. The campaign advocates for women’s and girls’ digital rights, protection in cyberspace, inclusive policies, digital education, and youth engagement across Europe. Additionally, Ilvana and Lena created a podcast episode “The need to end cyber violence” on cyber violence against women and girls as a deepening challenge to gender equality and democracy with Dr. Eleonora Esposito, a Seconded National Expert at the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE).
In May, the Austrian association About Later organised a club event and raised funds for WAVE. The event opened with a panel discussion featuring WAVE Project and Youth Ambassador Coordinator Branislava Arađan and Youth Ambassador Aliz Bineth (Hungary). They presented the WAVE’s work and the Youth Ambassadors’ initiative, sparking fruitful dialogue about preventing violence against women and girls in nightlife settings and creating safer public spaces.
In June, WAVE Rave Vienna was organised by Youth Ambassador Aliz Bineth and funded by the Open Society University Network as a civic engagement project tackling period inequality and lifting the taboo about menstruation. It was an open-air event with over 300 attendees, DJ sets, workshops, quizzes, and a petition calling for free menstrual products in Vienna schools. Petition gathered 216 signatures and Aliz later presented this project at the Get Engaged Conference in Budapest, Hungary.
In July, as a part of the “I Am a Woman/Girl in Cyberspace” campaign, the first Intergenerational talk was hosted by Youth Ambassador Ilvana Dedja in Tirana, Albania, in collaboration with the Young Professional Network. This panel brought together youth, lawyers, and cybersecurity experts.The WAVE Youth Ambassadors Conference “Youth resisting against antifeminism” took place in Vienna, Austria and provided an opportunity to gain specific skills and knowledge on how to react in antifeminist situations and highlighted the crucial role of self-care for activists. The training was led by Irene Zeilinger of the WAVE member organisation Garance ASBL. A podcast episode “Women’s Rights Around the Globe” was hosted by WAVE Youth Ambassador Ines Consonni who had a conversation with Farah Abou Harb, a Political Science graduate working as a women, peace and security program analyst in the field of peace process support. The episode focused on women’s rights, gender inequality, and violence against women and girls in the MENA region, with insights into collective feminist responsibility.
In October, three Youth Ambassadors attended the WAVE Conference “Institutional violence and its impact on women’s human rights across Europe”. They participated in discussions on how institutional violence affects women and girls and emphasized the importance of including youth voices in advocacy, especially regarding emerging forms of gender-based violence. In November and December, Youth Ambassadors contributed to the 16 Days of Activism campaign “The Power of Diverse Feminist Activism”. Viva Vulva Art Exhibition was organised by Youth Ambassador Aliz Bineth and artist Rifka Fehr, Central European University (CEU). The exhibition took place on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and it celebrated resilient bodies through feminist art and raised awareness of the importance of supporting women’s specialist services. Empowering Civil Courage Workshop was organised in collaboration with CEU and Autonomous Austrian Women’s Shelters (AÖF), with a focus on legal responses to gender-based violence in Austria and tools for civil courage. Youth Ambassadors also participated in the Activist Spotlight Series social media campaign.
2022
- In 2022, the mandate of the second generation of Youth Ambassadors was extended by one year to make up for the lack of in-person opportunities during the pandemic. As part of a program restructure, WAVE also began involving alumni in selected activities to build stronger connections between generations and foster long-term collaboration within the Youth Ambassadors initiative.
- In February a deeply impactful podcast episode featuring Dejana Dexi Stošić (Serbia), a first-generation WAVE Youth Ambassador was released. In this episode Dejana shared her journey as a feminist activist and women’s human rights defender. She reflected on what inspired her to create the now-iconic hashtag #NisamPrijavila (#IDidntReport), which enabled more than 20,000 women in Serbia to publicly share their experiences of violence, assault, and abuse online in 2021.
- In early March, first-generation WAVE Youth Ambassadors Dejana Stošić and Stefan Petrovski (North Macedonia) spearheaded a social media awareness campaign tied to UN Women’s initiative “Implementing Norms, Changing Minds”, and spoke at the online event Partnering to prevent and respond to sexual violence Ending Violence against Women in the Western Balkans and Turkey, addressing sexual violence in the region. Second generation Youth Ambassadors Mia Bradić (Croatia), Adriana S. Thiago (Portugal), Çeçilia Gazulli (Albania), and Alina Cebotari (Moldova) organised an International Women’s Day Webinar “Young Women Act: Towards Climate Justice and Women’s Rights”, bringing youth perspectives to feminist-environmental advocacy efforts. In response to the Ukraine crisis, Youth Ambassador from Ukraine, Victoriia Shvaher joined the WAVE meeting related to mobilizing resources and securing funding for those impacted.
- In April, Alina’s compelling article “Women’s Bodies During Wartime, But Not Only” was published to highlight gender-based violence in conflict contexts. First generation Youth Ambassador Stefan delivered an internal podcast workshop, enhancing second-generation storytelling and production skills ahead of later audio projects. WAVE Project and Youth Ambassador coordinator Branislava and Communications Coordinator Beverly delivered an online presentation under the Femicide Project, engaging high school students across Baden, Málaga, and Copenhagen on the topic of gender-based violence.
- In June, Youth Ambassador Mia led a three-part podcast series titled “Forgotten Children of War” (released on 3, 8, and 12 June), spotlighting the lived experiences of Ajna Jusić, founder of the “Forgotten Children of War” association form Bosnia and Herzegovina. Alina hosted another insightful podcast episode featuring Tatiana Chebac, addressing mental health and sustainable service provision in support frameworks for survivors. The call for applications for the 3rd generation of Youth Ambassadors was opened.
- In July WAVE Youth Ambassadors worked with youth activists from the Western Balkans and Türkiye, including from minority and marginalized groups, with an overall aim to create a social media campaign on preventing and tackling male violence against women, including sexual violence during their cooperation with Civil Society Strengthening Platform and its partners. The second generation of Youth Ambassadors gathered for the first time in Vienna to attend civil courage training, which built their capacity for bystander intervention. Two WAVE interns also participated in the training, and their involvement later inspired the development of an online campaign and article on civil courage published in August as part of International Youth Day activities.
- In September, Youth Ambassador Sabiha Azad (Wales) released the podcast episode “Abortion Rights Are Human Rights!”, in which she and volunteer Chloe from Chayn discussed the ramifications of the overturning of Roe v. Wade, shared resources, and offered guidance for reproductive rights advocacy.
- During the 16 Days of Activism campaign, Sabiha led a powerful video intervention on femicide. She organized a local workshop aimed to raise awareness of the 16 Days of Activism Campaign and the Istanbul convention in partnership with WAVE member, Welsh Women’s Aid. Another local event addressing femicide was organized by Alina in the form of a Social meeting in Moldova. Two more articles were published on the topic of civil courage by Sabiha and Victoriia, spotlighting youth resilience and bravery in the face of gendered violence.
- On the International Human Rights Day, WAVE published the much-anticipated “WAVE campaigning and advocacy toolkit for young activists”, a resource created by youth, for youth, with the aim of supporting young people in launching impactful advocacy and awareness campaigns to end violence against women and girls. The toolkit was developed by Sabiha and WAVE Interns, with support and coordination from WAVE’s Senior Advocacy Advisor, ensuring that it combines peer-driven perspectives with expert knowledge.
- Finally in December, WAVE released a culminating piece titled “The WAVE Youth Ambassadors’ Initiative & the Power of Youth Activism”. This article marked the official closing of the second generation’s mandate, offering a space for the Youth Ambassadors to share their reflections, impressions, and experiences from their time in the program. It also articulated the impact, vision, and ongoing mission of the Youth Ambassadors initiative heading into 2023.
2021
- In March, within the International Women’s Day, the WAVE Youth Ambassadors, through videos on social media, share why they are particularly determined to fight for women’s rights and gender equality. They encourage youth across Europe to speak out, raise awareness, and take action in support of gender equality and women’s rights.
- In July, the WAVE Youth Ambassadors host a two-day online event, Power of Youth Activism. The event brings together youth activists and long-standing WAVE members to strategise youth inclusion in tackling gender-based violence in the frame of intergenerational collaborations. Day one focuses on fostering youth involvement within the WAVE network, while day two serves as a safe space for youth activists across Europe to share challenges and promising practices.
- In August, during the week of International Youth Day, the WAVE Youth Ambassadors raise their voices throughout the entire week to share inspiring and encouraging messages about the importance and responsibility of youth in the fight against violence against women and girls. They highlight the prevalence of violence against women in their respective countries and share their own demands, as well as those of other youth, on what needs to be done to tackle violence. This includes advocating for comprehensive sexual education, primary prevention, and other vital efforts to combat gender-based violence, all shared on social media.
- From November to December, during the #16Days of Activism, WAVE Youth Ambassadors contribute videos, podcast episodes, blog articles, and infographics to highlight inspiring women human rights activists. With the end of the Step Up! campaign, the youth initiative is now being restructured as its own pillar within WAVE, continuing to ensure youth inclusion to prevent and tackle violence against women and girls.
2020
- In March, as part of International Women’s Day, the Call for the 2nd generation of WAVE Youth Ambassadors is launched, as the first cohort of youth activists completes their two-year term by the end of the year.
- In May, 14 youth activists are selected to become the second generation of WAVE Youth Ambassadors. Before their term ends, the first generation executes an online campaign, dedicated to tackling sexism. The ambassadors collect stories on sexism and share their perspectives. These stories, illustrated on graphics, are shared on social media, sparking open discussions with youth online.
- In July, the WAVE Youth Ambassador Mini Conference takes place. The online meeting brings together both generations of WAVE Youth Ambassadors, the Step Up! campaigners, and WAVE office staff. The focus is on finding synergies between WAVE projects and the Youth Ambassadors, offering a platform for campaigners and ambassadors to connect and learn about the campaign’s framework. The second half of the conference is dedicated to the handover between the first and second generation of WAVE Youth Ambassadors, providing a safe space for exchange and engagement.
- In August, the 2nd generation of WAVE Youth Ambassadors kicks off a series on the WAVE Blog titled THE POWER OF YOUTH, starting on International Youth Day. The series highlights how youth are making a difference in their communities in ending violence against women and girls, shares their own experiences, and encourages the inclusion of youth in activism. The series is adapted into a webinar held by Zvezdana Radulović, 2nd generation WAVE Youth Ambassador from Montenegro, and Beverly Mtui, WAVE Youth Ambassador Coordinator (2018-2021), at the end of August. The webinar emphasises the importance of youth inclusion in feminist movements and showcases how this is implemented within the WAVE Network and the WAVE Step Up! Campaign.
- In September, for International Peace Day, the WAVE Youth Ambassadors respond to the backlash from governments planning to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention. The ambassadors mobilise youth across Europe to highlight that peace can only be achieved if violence against women and girls is fully eliminated. Their input is made into a video, published on WAVE’s YouTube and shared on the WAVE Blog. The collaboration between the Civil Society Strengthening Platform (CSSP) and WAVE Youth Ambassadors from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Serbia also begins. The ambassadors support CSSP by producing videos in their languages, taking a stance on violence against women, offering encouragement to survivors, and sharing information on where to get help.
- From November-December, during the #16Days of Activism, our second generation of ambassadors shares how their respective countries would look if the Istanbul Convention were effectively implemented, using the hashtag #SignRatifyImplement. Through videos on social media, they raise awareness about the situation in Albania, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Moldova, Montenegro, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Ukraine, and Wales (UK), and highlight the Convention’s impact in paving the way towards a world free from violence against women and girls.
2019
- In March, for International Women’s Day, the ambassadors highlight the importance of political engagement through self-made contributions—seven videos, two of which reached over 600 views, and three written statements—emphasizing young citizens’ responsibility to vote.
- In April, on World Health Day, WAVE Youth Ambassadors take action to highlight the link between health care and gender-based violence. For example, Alba Biosca, WAVE Youth Ambassador from Spain and future nurse, creates a video emphasising the responsibility of health care professionals in identifying and preventing gender-based violence, ensuring survivors receive the support they need.
- In May, ahead of the 2019 EU Parliament elections, the ambassadors interview young people in their countries about the importance of voting, focusing on proactive engagement. The interviews, shared on social media, reached up to 800 views. Two ambassadors, Mirta Bašelović (Croatia) and Antonella Crichigno (Italy), supported by Italian Step Up! campaigners, manage to interview politically influential figures: Bojan Glavašević, a Croatian MP working with the European Parliamentary Forum for Sexual & Reproductive Rights, and Francesca Puglisi, former Italian Senator and Democratic Party member, discussing threats to women’s rights.
- In June, the first in-person WAVE Youth Ambassador meeting takes place in Vienna, Austria, bringing together five ambassadors from across Europe to exchange insights on gender equality and the fight against gender-based violence. They discuss strategies for youth inclusion in advocacy and explore how to effectively raise awareness. WAVE office staff provide input on the network’s structure, campaigning efforts, and projects to identify synergies with youth engagement. The meeting fosters team building and equips our ambassadors with tools to strengthen youth activism in preventing and tackling gender-based violence. Additionally, we launch the bi-weekly WAVE Youth Ambassadors column, Speak Up to Step Up!, featuring ambassadors’ perspectives on gender equality, women’s rights, and feminist activism in their home countries.
- In August, marking the 5th anniversary of the Istanbul Convention entering into force, our ambassadors share their thoughts on this crucial international treaty on social media. They reflect on what the Istanbul Convention is, why it is vital to implement it, and how it impacts them as individuals, making the Convention and its importance more accessible to youth across Europe.
- In September, during the week of International Peace Day, the ambassadors collaborate with Step Up! Campaigners and the WAVE Working Group on Sexualised Violence to promote the info leaflet What is Sexual Violence? What is Consent?. They create animations using different analogies to challenge misconceptions about consent and sexual violence. Shared on social media, the first animation reaches over 1,400 views.
- From November-December, during the #16Days of Activism, our ambassadors share the results of their own developed questionnaires for youth across their countries. In the previous months, they gathered insights to highlight young people’s knowledge of gender-based violence and their needs for violence prevention across Europe. Through brief questionnaires, our ambassadors reached 183 young people (16-27 years old) in Estonia, Portugal, Spain, England, North Macedonia, Serbia, Croatia, Italy, and Kosovo, gathering diverse national responses and explore the differences and similarities across countries. The results are published on all of WAVE’s social media accounts. The topics covered include cyber violence, sexual violence & consent, and sexual & reproductive rights.
2018
- In May, the Call for Youth Ambassadors is launched. This call seeks after young and committed visionaries to join a peer group of youth ambassadors for the WAVE Step Up! Campaign (2016-2021), consisting of up to ten young people from the participating campaigning countries.
- By the deadline in September, the Campaign receives around 220 applications for the pioneering roles to become human rights activists on behalf of the Campaign.
- In October, the Step Up! Campaign Jury choses 11 young people to become the first generation of the WAVE Youth Ambassadors. The Youth Ambassadors come from Belgium, Croatia, Estonia, Georgia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Portugal, Serbia and Spain.
- From November-December, they actively participate in WAVE’s #16Days of Activism campaign, taking over WAVE’s social media accounts to highlight pressing issues in their local contexts. For example, WAVE Youth Ambassador Antonella Crichigno from Italy raises awareness about the high number of intimate partner violence cases in the country, which too often result in femicide, as well as the lack of legal frameworks to support survivors and prevent violence in the first place.
Become a WAVE Youth Ambassador!
If you are a young and committed activist who is passionate about women’s rights, empowerment of women and girls, and feminism, be on the lookout for the next WAVE Youth Ambassadors’ Call.
