Nashauna Drummond, Acting Lifestyle Co-ordinator

Nairobi, Kenya:

The final day of the World YWCA extraordinary meeting ended in celebration at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre, Nairobi, Kenya last Wednesday.

Seven new associations joined the largest multi-racial women's movement bringing to 107 the number of national YWCAs.

In the meantime, 18 new ones are being formed. The newly affiliated associations are: the YWCA of Burundi, Hondurus, Indonesia, Mozambique, Russia, Sudan and Congo Brazzaville.

The newly affiliated associations sang and danced after receiving their certificates of affiliation.

They can now continue their work empowering and advocating for women and young girls in their respective countries.

Young Women's leadership

The movement also celebrated the long overdue adoption of a revised constitution.

Based on the new constitution, national associations are required to have 25 per cent of leadership roles occupied by young women aged 30 years or under.

In her final presidential address, the first Latin American president of the World YWCA Monica Zetzshe, noted that the adoption of the revised constitution has proved that change is possible. She noted that most of the themes of the YWCA's world councils have been focused on change.

She noted that the new constitution will guide the YWCA as it continues to change the lives of women and girls.

She urged member associations to provide the opportunity for young women to develop and practice their leadership skills to build the organisation in its 152nd year.

Nashauna Drummond is also an executive committee member of the World YWCA.