At some point usually during their adolescence, young people will start to explore their own values, ethics spirituality, racial and ethnic identity, sexuality and gender. Exploring the different elements of their identity is part of a very normal desire to understand who they are and where they fit in the world.

For young people clarity and confidence in who they are, where they come from and where they belong gives them the self-assurance they need to make good decisions about the people they choose to surround themselves with and the choices that will shape their future. By embracing their identity young people will often “try on” different roles at home and school and in social settings, which can take the form of testing boundaries or acting out.

When young women feel comfortable with whom they are in respect of their identity, a process of empowerment occurs. This process allows them to become more aware and socially responsible for building a more inclusive future for themselves, their families, and their community.