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KDI started KDS in 2020 to increase civic learning experiences that have nearly vanished in conventional schools in Nigeria, strengthening young people’s capacity on democratic ideals to break the cycle of unresponsive civic life amidst them. After the learning, KDS offers participants first-hand practicum opportunities at relevant institutions before joining the Alumni Network for further engagement and democratic research. All of these forms the framework of KDS. KDS BEYOND THE SCHOOL WALLS KDS engages young people between the ages of 10 – 17 years focusing on grooming this demographic on true democratic values and civic participation will transcend into having new crops of leaders and change-makers. This is because most of the Gen-Z are oblivious of democratic history due to the gap in transferring knowledge and democratic history between the older and new generations. KDS, in its curricula and summer camp, focuses on bridging these gaps with training and mentoring. KDS- BUILDING NEXT-GENERATION LEADERS KDS, in this phase ensures that the capacity of young Africans is built towards active civic life, value-based democratic leaders, and youth peacebuilders. KDS admits individuals of voting age (18) to the upper limit of youth categorization (35) into different training cohorts depending on their preferences. These cohort includes: 1. Civic Leadership 2. Youth Peace and Security and 3. Countering Authoritarian Influence Summarily, KDS next-generation leaders offers four types of activity: • lectures from seasoned academia, elected leaders, and lawmakers with track records, development experts, and public policy advocates. All within and outside Africa. • Practical sessions (interactive, role play, etc), and • Out-of-class learning (Group assignments/Internship/Working Visit). • Democratic Research at the Alumni Network For example, after a lecture on the Legislative Process in which the theory and processes have been explained, the participants are made to simulate class. This practical learning opportunity offers guided first-hand experience at the legislative house. The participants are taken on a working visit to the plenary and enroll for a legislative internship. After training, KDS groups its alumni to study a particular democratic challenge and develop practical solutions. KDS has trained 225 young Nigerians on Democracy and Human Rights, Civic Leadership and Community Organizing using her learning-by-doing approach. These alumni are encouraged to continue to engage their peers and keep the cycle of informed young citizens actively in all their sphere of influence. “My moment at KDS broaden my comprehension of Democracy and Good governance and my experience injected me to research further on strategies that will bring positive change to my homeland” – Motunrayo Adisa Participating in #KDS2020 was a worthwhile experience for me not only as a young leader but as an aspiring global leader. This judicious investment has caused me to be a firm believer and upholder of democracy. – Tobi Olanipekun “KDS was both an experience and exposure for me! I gathered facts and figures on democracy and governance, especially as it concerns Nigeria.” – Juliet Eze

From September – December 2020, Kimpact Development Initiative (KDI) worked with IFES and United States Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations to adapt and test five gender-sensitive indicators, as part of the Nigeria Election Violence Report (NEVR) initiative to develop a global framework for Gender-Sensitive Indicators for Early Warning of Violence and conflict.

KDI, the secretariat of the Supporting Advancement of Gender Equality, has made Gender Equality issue a household name in Nigeria. Through the advocacy effort of KDI and other coalition partners, the president on Friday, 19th March 2021, is committed to assenting the gender equality provisions in the ongoing constitutional amendment.

KDI has contributed immensely to youth policy development in Nigeria; one of such landmark achievements is the Youth Policy Agenda Advocacy in Osun State. KDI aggregated young people’s developmental needs in Osun state and advocated its inclusion in the budget of relevant MDAs. We saw the need for a clear and strategic Youth Development framework, KDI started legislative advocacy for the establishment of a Youth Development Commission through the act of parliament

Over the years, marginalization has characterized women's participation in politics due to various inhibiting social, cultural and religious forces. These forces reinforced the community’s stereotypical perception of women’s political leadership. Nigeria politics became male - dominated almost making women virtually politically invisible. Since the reintroduction of Democracy in 1999 till date, there has been no female president and duly elected female governor. The National Assembly has been dominated by males. The highest number of female senators that Nigeria has gotten is 9 out of 109 seats. While the highest of female representatives so far is 26 out of 360.

Political parties that are the only vehicle for political leadership have been consistently identified as one of the institutions responsible for women’s under-representation. The dominant masculine model of exercising power in political life and within political parties is built on traditional attitudes that marginalize women. The model creates ‘roadblocks’ at various levels, including party leadership, elected delegates and nomination of candidates.

Based on the foregoing, Kimpact Development Initiative (KDI), with the support of the International Republican Institute (IRI), engaged political parties and the public in a series of dialogues, sustain dialogue between political and CSO groups on the need and benefit of women in leadership positions. KDI built the capacity of media personnel, especially male journalists, editors, editors-in-chief, photographers, and managers, on gender-sensitive reporting, turning them into male allies for gender equality, shunning stereotypical gender portrayals and support women’s political activities more broadly. Also, engaged new and traditional media to improve the public’s perceptions of women political leaders.

The goals and objectives of this project include:

Objective 1: To conduct advocacy campaigns targeting a broad audience (male allies, young women, youth, and persons with disabilities) on the issues facing women and the benefits of women in leadership positions.
Objective 2: To ensure sustained dialogue between political parties, CSO groups and the public on the need and benefit of women in leadership positions, thereby improving the public’s perceptions of women political leaders.