The main aim of this workshop is critically examine the role of women as leaders in change and development. This workshop focuses not only on knowledge exchange and updates on relevant human rights instruments and standards, but outlines how practically human rights can be used in programmes and activities to generate concrete and sustainable development outcomes. This knowledge exchange and capacity development workshop brings together practitioners, professionals and activists working on women’s equality, development and leadership. It will discuss innovative and strategic ways to implement as well as to monitor and evaluate women’s rights. The UEL research is funded by the UK Global Research Challenge Fund (GCRF) and supported by Global Land Tool Network (GLTN), WASD, Mekei, Sudan Knowledge.

Women leaders use a variety of tools and strategies to mobilise, empower and deliver on community achievements. Human rights is one such medium through which women’s voices, goals and efforts are recognised as enforceable claims or rights. Clearly, women have an untapped potential as a primary mover of greater development and their role is very crucial for increased development, but challenges remain. And so, reforms in economic, social, and political institutions must be made to create an enabling environment for women participation and empowerment.

Though activists and leaders- women, men and youth – use human rights for advocacy and enforcement, there are advantages to using the human rights based approach (HRBA) to achieve land, property and other rights in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Pioneering policy research at the CIFLAC has been deployed to carry out training for hundreds of leaders at the United Nations, World Bank, the Arab Land Conference, the World Urban Forum and several other events.