If there was one message from “Accelerate Action: Celebrating Young Women’s Leadership in the YMCA/YWCA,” it was this: We are enough.
Aligned with International Women’s Day on 8 March, 291 people registered for the global event on Thursday, 5 March 2026, with individuals and groups tuning in from Bangladesh to India, Ghana to Japan, across North America, Ireland, France, and beyond. The virtual gathering created a unique shared space for women around the world to voice challenges, find solidarity and celebrate leadership.
The event opened with welcoming remarks from World YMCA President Soheila Hayek, followed by a keynote from Emma Grzechnik Mörk, World YWCA Board Member from YMCA-YWCA Sweden. A panel discussion followed, moderated by Czieloh Villajin of YMCA of the Philippines and Asia and Pacific Alliance of YMCAs, with panelists:
- Lina Grajales, CEO of YMCA Risaralda, Colombia
- Francisca Ohenewa, Ghana YMCA and former YMCA Change Agent
Shared vision, shared values
Soheila Hayek set the tone in her opening remarks: “We are committed to gender responsive programmes that address the unique burdens young women carry. To the young women of the YMCA and YWCA, you are the architects of a Just World, and we don’t just stand behind you, we stand with you.”
Emma Grzechnik Mörk built on this foundation, reflecting on her experience growing up in the joint YMCA-YWCA Movement: “From an early age, I learned to navigate the shared space, and it offers me an important sense of belonging that still shapes my life. Growing up in a joint Movement, I felt I could feel at home in both spaces around the world. We are rooted in the same values and share the same conviction for a better world.”
She encouraged both movements to continue to live up to those values: “In a time like this, our Movements need clarity, courage, and shared responsibility to speak about our values and to live them, from local communities to the global stage. My wish for the future is that we continue to recognise what unites us rather than what separates us, and pursue meaningful advocacy at all levels.”
The pressures are real
The panel discussion brought the challenges into sharp focus. Francisca Ohenewa spoke candidly about cultural barriers she faces in Ghana.
“In Africa, we have huge battles with the patriarchy. You enter a boardroom, and there are elders, and you might not be able to speak out as you’d like. Often, we are asked about when we will have a husband, not the status of a programme we are working on. The culture issues are real.”
Women across continents responded in the chat, confirming they face similar questions and barriers in their own countries.
Lina Grajales connected with Francisca’s experience, adding another layer: “I can relate. You’re also not taken seriously because you are young, or you’re overcoming impostor syndrome.” She pushed back against outdated ideas about leadership, noting that “it’s not a bad thing to have feelings. When you are sensitive, you have empathy. It’s important to value your emotions.”
Community, mentorship, and access
When moderator Czieloh Villajin summarised what she was hearing, she named exactly what’s needed: “Women are navigating challenges together, and what they need is not complex. It’s community, mentorship, and access to resources. Both organisations need to choose it. Intentionally.”
Lina echoed this need for support: “I value the people who came before me. As women, we’re great, we’re amazing, and we do so much, but we can’t do it alone.” She pointed to progress in Colombia, where more than 50 per cent of leadership positions are held by women, while emphasising that collaboration with men and across generations remains essential.
Despite the challenges, both panelists spoke about why they stay. When asked, Francisca’s answer was simple: “I look at young people in my community and I see the help we need, and we’re lacking changemakers. If I leave the YMCA, who will do it?”
Lina shared a similar commitment: “I love the YMCA movement. Fifteen years ago, I joined and never left. I will grow older in the YMCA. I never really aspired to have a leadership position. I just wanted to serve.”
Young women are leading. They are enough. What they need from the Movement is clear: intentional support through community, mentorship, and access to resources.