CPS, Liberia YMCA – Strengthening Advocacy Through Gender Training

The YMCA- CPS Project continues to position youth as frontline advocates for equality and peace, ensuring that young people are not only trained but also empowered to create lasting impact in their communities and across Liberia.

Twenty Youth Gender Ambassadors from Montserrado, Margibi, Bong, and Nimba Counties participated in an advanced Gender Training of Trainers (ToT) to deepen their knowledge of gender issues and strengthen their capacity as community advocates.

Organized by the YMCA of Liberia under the Civil Peace Service – CPS program on Gender from July 30 – August 1, 2025 in Bong County, the training, marked the advanced stage of the YMCA/CPS Youth Gender Training program, building on previous training phases.

The participants who are all Gender Ambassadors, previously participated in several training under the YMCA, CPS Gender Training Program, engaged in intensive training sessions on knowledge-sharing, designed to equip them with practical skills to replicate similar training and advocacy in their respective locations.

The training also fostered stronger ties between Youth Ambassadors, the YMCA-CPS team, and the YMCA Youth Peace Radio staff, enhancing networking and collaboration.

Training Highlights

The ToT focused on equipping young leaders with tools to address gender bias, violence, and safeguarding concerns in their communities. Training support was provided by the Ministry of Gender, Bong County office and supported by the YMCA/CPS Program Coordinator.

The training emphasized practical application, with participants developing branch-specific action plans that will guide their future outreach and advocacy efforts.

The ToT training covered the following topics which included: Understanding Gender and Sex, Gender Equality vs. Equity, Power, Privilege & Intersectionality, Youth as Change Agents, Gender Mainstreaming & Safeguarding, YMCA Gender Policy Application, Safe vs. Unsafe Space Mapping, National Gender Policy Integration and Advocacy, Communication & Action Planning.

Key Achievements

This training marks the successful completion of advanced training for 20 Youth Gender Ambassadors, enabling them to be fully equipped with advanced knowledge and tools to promote gender equality in their communities.

Participants are better prepared to replicate the training and serve as role models and champion gender safeguarding practices, thus strengthening leadership capacities.

The training also prepared participants gained deeper understanding of national and global gender policies to strengthen local advocacy efforts, while also enhancing safeguarding skills, with youth leaders trained to identify, prevent, and respond to violence against women, children, and boys.

Next Step:  Gender Ambassadors are expected to conduct similar training and advocacy activities in their respective branches, with monitoring from the YMCA-CPS Program Coordinator.

These Gender Ambassadors will focus on peer learning, community advocacy, and grassroots action against gender bias and abuse, while promoting peace through their various actions.

The CPS Project team will track and document successes stories from community interventions and finalize and support youth-led action plans across all locations.

A number of participants the end of the training expressed enthusiasm and readiness to take on leadership roles as gender advocates and change agents. They pledged to challenge harmful gender norms, amplify youth voices, and contribute meaningfully to safeguarding efforts within their communities.