The Program for Young Politicians in Africa (PYPA), in collaboration with its esteemed partners, is proud to announce the publication of the 2025 Revised Edition of its renowned Political Leadership Training Manual. This updated edition reaffirms PYPA’s commitment to equipping young African leaders with the essential tools for effective governance, the defence of human rights, and the advancement of sustainable development.

Since 2012, the manual has served as a cornerstone of the PYPA training programme, playing a pivotal role in strengthening the capacities of young women and men from political parties across the African continent. Its primary objective is to enhance youth representation, participation, and influence within political systems, enabling them to champion democracy, human rights, and better living standards in their respective nations.

The development and revision of this vital resource were made possible thanks to the dedicated contributions of the following distinguished organisations:

  • Centre Party International Foundation (CIS)
  • Institut pour la Gouvernance et le Développement (IGD)
  • The Green Forum (GF)
  • Christian Democratic International Center (KIC)
  • The Olof Palme International Center (Palme Center)
  • Education and Training Unit (ETU)
  • Centre for Young Leaders in Africa (CYLA)

The revised edition was edited by Annika Reyes Rigö, with the original 2020 design by Carol Burmeister and the updated 2025 design by Leah Marais.

This latest edition offers foundational knowledge on key political issues, raises thought-provoking questions, and provides valuable resources, including updated statistics, tables and graphs. These elements are intended to support young leaders in formulating persuasive arguments and advocating for youth development and long-term social change.

Comprehensive in scope, the manual addresses crucial themes such as economic and social development, human rights and discrimination, and political systems. It also covers essential political party skills—strategic planning, communication, campaigning, and fundraising—and tackles pressing contemporary challenges, including conflict resolution, corruption, and ethical leadership.

PYPA strongly encourages the use, dissemination, and reproduction of this manual’s content to support the training of young people within political parties and communities. In doing so, we collectively contribute to empowering the next generation of African leaders to drive meaningful and lasting change.

Download the full version of the manual here.