Yasmina Benslimane believes that we can be many things at the same time. Yasmina Benslimane is a feminist, human rights, defender, communications expert, UN Women's peace-builder, certified women empowerment coach, board member of the Pan-African Institute of Municipal Development, and the founder of Politics4Her. She is a jack and master of all trades.
Daughter to a single parent, Yasmina grew up in Morocco with a view of the prejudice her mother faced in society. This fed her need for gender equality in the world. She went on to study Political Science at Saint Louis University (Madrid) and there she saw the distorted vision of the male-dominated field of politics, a field broken down by corruption, money, and evil and not a representation of the people and fighting for the greater good. She felt that there was a need for women to be involved in politics and decision making which would in turn lead to gender equality and world peace.
Yasmina Benslimane: On starting Politics4her and being a Feminist Human Rights Defender
Thus Politics4Her was born. At a time when social media feeds were filled with beauty and fashion, Yasmina was showing that women are also academics and scholars and are capable of raising their voices for the greater good. She had doubts, but once she started, she got reassurance from young women like her. Even when she felt lonely, in a society where capacity-building did not see politics as girly and feminine, she knew she was not alone.
Politics4Her is a feminist youth-led online platform and global movement advocating the inclusive participation of women and girls in politics. Like Yasmina, Politics4Her has many facets. From digital advocacy, through its website and social media pages, to capacity-building, to its Women4Leadership Program and the training of their volunteers, to its policy work, Politics4Her uses different means to ensure that women and young girls join the political conversation.
I try to celebrate every success and every win. Building a team was the first success. For each member of Politics4Her, building their own teams is also a success. Our podcast is a success. Our first grant from Women Deliver is another success. But, the progress that is being made; that is what is most successful.
Once a one-woman team, Politics4Her now has a team of young women all over the world that are creating an empowerment tool that gives young women and girls the opportunity to raise their voices.
A world citizen, having lived in 7 countries and speaking several languages, it was important to Yasmina that Politics4Her was accessible to everyone, which is why Politics4Her is available in different languages. With its inter-sectional feminist approach, Politics4Her also has a particular focus on the Global South and other parts of the world that get little coverage from mainstream media.
One thing that has helped Yasmina Benslimane is her team. She believes that leadership is about passing knowledge and delegating tasks. Now many of her team members lead their own Politics4Her teams all over the globe and are constantly making an impact.
It is important to give some power away and not keep it to yourself.
In this episode, Yasmina gives tips on how to balance time and be productive as a change maker, how to work with and empower your team, how to deal with the bad sides of social media, how life in the US is different from life in Costa Rica and Puerto Rico and how to trust the process and keep making an impact.
The biggest advice that I would give is to trust the process and not get discouraged. Never give up on your dreams and always follow your passion. It is not always easy but it is worth it to pursue whatever you are passionate about.
To Yasmina Benslimane, what change and impact mean i simple.
It doesn't matter whether the impact is small or big. It can start with you having uncomfortable conversations with your family or with people around you. It is by being inclusive in your fight and making sure you leave no one behind. It could even start through social media or small initiatives. Anything that brings you joy and you strongly believe in, you can take concrete action in.
With the many accolades, a thriving network, and massive impact created, at the root of it all, Yasmina's goal is simple; to empower women to unleash their professional and personal potential to the fullest.
My ultimate goal in life is to empower women by making them believe in themselves so that they can reach their full potential and get into more leadership positions. Our participation in social, political, and economic decision-making is a must to acquire development.
Listen to this interview, The Yasmina Benslimane Episode on Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and anywhere you listen to your podcasts!
Check out Yasmina's recommendations below.
Connect with Yasmina
Learn more about Politics4Her
Yasmina's Recommendations
Beyonce's Renaissance Album especially You Won't Break My Soul 😉
Connect with Yasmina!
Find out more about Politics4Her
WRITTEN AND EDITED BY Chizulu Uwolloh.
Zulu is a writer, self-proclaimed bibliophile, lawyer, and international development passionate about social impact and showing people how they can create change in their communities. Zulu Uwolloh is a lawyer and international development professional. She is also the founder of Kurerie, a digital platform and community that amplifies the voices of youth making an impact in their communities. Kurerie educates young people on how they can become active stakeholders in the achievement of the SDGs. She is passionate about showing young people that they can change the world with the smallest actions.
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