Why We Cultivate Feminist Leaders
Leadership is often difficult to define. It can be shaped by mindset, behavior, social influence, initiative, and even culturally inherited systems of power. Yet, when we think about social and political change, leadership remains a critical force in shaping movements, building collective action, and inspiring communities toward a shared vision for the future.
As The Space envisions “a youth-led safe and just society,” promoting youth leadership remains central to our mission and organizational approach.
| We believe meaningful and sustainable change requires leaders who practice values rooted in equity, inclusion, accountability, collective care, and shared power.
Guided by this belief, The Space continues to invest in creating learning spaces that nurture feminist leadership and encourage young people to critically engage with social and political change processes. Between July and November 2025, The Space conducted a series of Feminist Leadership Trainings with a total of 69 participants, including over 60% women participants and 10% representation from gender-diverse communities.
The trainings were designed to strengthen participants’ understanding and practice of feminist leadership across diverse social and community sectors. The learning environment was intentionally designed as a safe space for participants to build analytical thinking, connect personal leadership with collective action and advocacy, and deepen their awareness of gender, patriarchy, SOGIESC, and inclusive leadership practices. The sessions also emphasized the importance of self-care, resilience, and sustainable movement-building within community and social engagement work.
| Through our youth leadership initiatives, we intentionally cultivate feminist values alongside leadership development processes.
Beyond strengthening individual capacity, the trainings encouraged participants to practice empathy, self-awareness, and collective accountabilities.
It would be invaluable if we had understood feminist leadership concepts since childhood. Rather than just short-term sessions, these insights should be taught continuously from preschool through university to truly overcome the deep-rooted patriarchy within our society."
"I believed I possessed empathy, but exchanging identities during the sessions made me realize how difficult it still is for our environment to accept diversity. I’ve learned that for anyone striving to be a leader, constant self-reflection is the most essential lesson." Hein Soe Thein, 34, Mae Sot.
