We aim to foster & entrench the culture of democracy, good governance, & inclusive citizens’ participation in the HoA through research & policy dialogue.
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Joined November 2023
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YLDS 2026 | Cohort I wraps six days of learning, questioning, & building connections for democracy in the #HornOfAfrica. Conversations & solidarity continue.
#YLDS2026 #YouthLeadership #Democracy #RegionalSolidarity
Day 2 | Eastern Africa Convening on the #FutureofHumanRights in Africa
Our Program & Partnerships Director, @Yemikebede, moderated a discussion on democratic governance, security, & transnational repression.
@OpenSocietyAfr @OHCHR_ESARO @achpr_cadhp @NANHRI40 @FeministsKE
#YLDS2026 Cohort I Day 5
From civic action & coalition-building to dialogue with the AU, participants explored youth pathways in governance & peacebuilding.
The day ended with a cultural celebration of connection, mutual appreciation & solidarity.
Stay tuned for the final day.
YLDS Cohort I | Day Four
From understanding power & structural barriers to solving real-life challenges through group simulations, participants explored pathways to civic engagement & digital advocacy.
#YLDS2026 #YouthLeadership #Democracy
#YLDS2026 Cohort I | Day 3 Highlights
A day of looking inward and planning outward.
Participants explored emotional intelligence, strategic advocacy, & theories of change while shaping their 100-day projects into actionable initiatives.
#YouthLeadership #Democracy
#YLDS2026 | The Journey So Far
Watch this highlight video capturing moments from the arrival and welcoming of participants, the official opening, and Day One of the YLDS Cohort I training.
The journey continues!
#YouthLeadership #Democracy #HornOfAfrica #RegionalSolidarity
Day Two of #YLDS2026 Cohort I moved from reflection to practice!
Through team building, case study clinics, mediation sessions, & a multi-party simulation, participants strengthened skills in dialogue, negotiation, & collaborative leadership.
#YouthLeadership #RegionalSolidarity
Day One Highlights: Understanding the Region, Rethinking Leadership
#YLDS2026 Cohort I explored the #HornOfAfrica's governance & security dynamics, political biography, power literacy, and colonial legacies, building a foundation for strategic advocacy & regional solidarity.
The #YLDS2026 Journey Continues
On Oct. 12, Cohort I begun the 6-day in-person training, officially opened by HCD’s ED @FrewDemeke & Program & Partnerships Director @Yemikebede.
Stay tuned for daily highlights & key learnings!
#YouthLeadership #Democracy #HornOfAfrica
A Glimpse into the Arrival & Welcoming.
#YLDS2026 Cohort I participants arrived in AA for their 6-day in-person journey, following 3 virtual sessions that brought young people from across the #HornOfAfrica together to reconnect & build the YLDS community.
The journey continues!
We have officially inaugurated-Youth Leadership for Democracy & Solidarity (YLDS)-Cohort I
400+ applicants. 14 young leaders, selected through a rigorous, multi-stage process.
Read more-thinking behind YLDS: horn-center.org/horn-center-…
#YLDS2026 #YouthLeadership #Democracy
We’re taking our research to academic communities.
At Jigjiga University, we engaged staff & senior management on democratization in Ethiopia & the #HoA
We’ll continue connecting research with learning, dialogue & democratic practice across the HoA.
Read: horn-center.org/jigjiga-univ…
On 22 September, HCD joined policymakers, CSOs, faith leaders & governance experts in Addis Ababa for a policy dialogue commemorating #IDD2026 & the #InternationalDayOfPeace, organized by @AaccCeta & @kasethiopia_au.
Read HCD's reflection here: horn-center.org/hcd-contribu…
At #UNGA81, it was a pleasure to co-organize a side event with partners, bringing together diverse perspectives and contributing to broader conversations on multilateralism, democratic resilience, and peace in the Horn of Africa.
At #UNGA81, International IDEA brought governments, UN representatives and civil society together to discuss democratic resilience, the future of UN leadership and peace in the Horn of Africa.
Secretary-General Kevin Casas-Zamora also met with leaders and Member State representatives to keep democracy and the challenges it faces high on the agenda.
Together with @ClubdeMadrid, @SwissGov, @OpenSociety and the @HC4Democracy alongside @OpenSocietyAfr, we helped bring these conversations into focus.
🔗 Read Annika Silva-Leander’s account of the discussions, the partnerships and what comes next: idea.int/news/putting-democr…
📷 Take a look at some moments from the week in New York:
🎙️Adding two more to our #UNGA81 Side Event Speakers Spotlight
Commander @AbebeMuluneh, brings the regional lens: IGAD, Geopolitical Entanglement, & Regional Agency.
Zaid Al-Ali, Senior Program Manager at @Int_IDEA will moderate the discussion.
📅 Today | 🕧 12:30–14:30 EDT
Today #UNGA81 Side Event🎙️ Speakers Spotlight
Openings: Pedro Abramovay & Kevin Casas-Zamora. Closing reflections @HC4Democracy @Yemikebede.
🕧 12:30–14:30 EDT
📍 Pershing Hub, 101 Park Ave, NYC
📝 On-site registration available
Stay tuned for more speaker spotlights & bios.
If you happen to be in New York for #UNGA81, join us on September 24 for a timely conversation on #Geopolitics, #multilateralism, & #democratic futures, with a focus on the #HornOfAfrica.
Don't Miss it! Scan the QR below to Register.
@HC4Democracy
@OpenSocietyAfr
@Int_IDEA
When every voice counts, democracy delivers #IDD2026.
This #InternationalDayofDemocracy, let’s reflect on what it takes for #democracy to deliver.
#HornOfAfrica #DemocraticGovernance
🤖 Made with AI
What comes first: peace or democracy?
As we approach #DemocracyDay (15 Sept) & #PeaceDay (21 Sept), we ask: Can peace create space for democracy & democracy sustain peace?
Our research suggests: they must reinforce one another.
What do you think? Join the conversation below.
🤖 Made with AI
What if, in the #HornofAfrica, the question isn’t just democratization-but what kind of #democracy?
Our latest blog, “Towards Democratic Hybridity in the Horn of Africa,” takes this conversation further.
Read & join the discussions here-horn-center.org/towards-demo…
