The WAVE Youth Ambassadors’ initiative & the power of youth activism

In 2018, the WAVE Network introduced the WAVE Youth Ambassadors’ initiative as a way to ensure the inclusion and engagement of youth within the context of preventing and tackling discrimination and violence against women and girls. Youth activism is a crucial pillar of strengthening feminist movements, which the WAVE Youth Ambassadors’ initiative has proven over the last successful four years.

Beverly Mtui

WAVE Youth Ambassador Coordinator 2018-2021

about the initiative

As the first WAVE Youth Ambassador Coordinator, I was ready to take on this rewarding challenge, which has now become a professional as well as personal achievement, of joining forces with dedicated young feminist activists across Europe and supporting them in creating a platform of solidarity and unity to highlight the power of youth participation, youth campaigning and youth activism.

I am also very honoured to be witnessing a new era of the initiative thanks to the wonderful Branislava Arađan who is the WAVE Youth Ambassador Coordinator since 2021. A compassionate and caring activist herself who, through her experience and expertise, continues to strengthen and elevate the initiative, and supports youth activism at WAVE to further blossom and thrive.

Branislava Arađan

WAVE Youth Ambassador Coordinator since 2021

about the initiative

As a human right activist with more than ten years of experience in youth organisations, I have devoted a significant portion of my work to creating youth leaders and tackling issues across the field of women’s rights topics.

For the past year, I’m thrilled to have gotten the opportunity to work with amazing youth feminist activists and to expand my field of work across Europe, as a WAVE Youth Ambassador Coordinator. I deeply believe that youth have the right, the skills and the numbers to “make a difference” in government and society; therefore, the WAVE Youth Ambassadors initiative is all about creating a youth-inclusive environment and amplifying youth voices about different issues regarding violence against women and girls. This initiative truly allows youth to gain a sense of their unique abilities to make a difference in their communities.

It seems like it was just yesterday: the excitement of introducing something that hasn’t been done before at WAVE, the joy of collaboration and exchange, the question of how much the WAVE Youth Ambassadors’ initiative can move and change.. and in the blink of an eye, four years have passed and WAVE has, in total, welcomed 34 WAVE Youth Ambassadors representing 25 EU and non-EU countries, who have engaged with politicians, reached youth in various European countries, represented WAVE in conferences and events, and much more; all while being hard-working activists in their own contexts and countries.

The WAVE Youth Ambassadors’ initiative as well as every individual WAVE Youth Ambassador has greatly shaped the network with their incredible knowledge and inspiring activism.

We are so very proud of every single one of you, and we are very much looking forward to seeing the many more milestones you will achieve to effectively prevent and tackle violence against women and girls; not only at WAVE, but across Europe and beyond! #powerofyouth

WAVE Youth Ambassadors’ initiative in 2022

As the term of the second generation WAVE Youth Ambassadors is coming to an end in 2022, we want to reflect on the past two years, and hear from some of the youth feminist activists themselves about how their experience as second generation WAVE Youth Ambassadors has shaped them in their work and activism.

Mia Bradić

“I have really grown as a feminist through this role and I got to learn from so many different perspectives.”

Krisztina Les

“It has been a very valuable experience to get to know other feminists from different countries in Europe.”

Alina Cebotari

“Opportunities like the WAVE Youth Ambassadors’ initiative can provide a space where we can build and nourish a community of international young activists.”

Zvezdana Radulović

“The role as WAVE Youth Ambassador gave me the opportunity to gain and exchange international experiences when it comes to feminism and gender-based violence.”

Sabiha Azad

“WAVE has really changed the way I view myself as a Feminist Youth Activist, it helped me put into action my views and helped me amplify youth activists across Wales.”

WOMEN AGAINST VIOLENCE EUROPE