Women Deliver 2026 has just released its full program. Here is what it means, why it matters, and what Emerge will be covering for you.
From 27 to 30 April 2026, Narrm (Melbourne) will host Women Deliver 2026 — one of the largest global conferences on gender equality, bringing together heads of government, civil society leaders, First Nations advocates, health experts, feminist economists, and community changemakers from over 170 countries.
It is happening in our backyard. And Emerge Magazine — your publication — is officially accredited as a media partner.
The full program, announced this week, makes clear that this is not a conference of speeches and good intentions. It is structured around a single urgent question: What must change so power, resources, and responsibility are better aligned to deliver justice for girls, women, and gender-diverse people?
What Is on the Program
The conference opens with a ceremony called Change Calls Us Here — grounding the program in First Nations leadership and the Oceanic Pacific, and introducing the Declaration for the International Development Sector. You can read it here https://womendeliver.org/about/declaration/
Twelve pre-conferences will cover ending sexual and gender-based violence, FGM/C, adolescent girls’ leadership, First Nations leadership and global solidarity, climate justice, LGBTI inclusion, feminist funding, and inclusive data. Over 100 concurrent sessions will run across the four days.
Confirmed speakers include Senator the Hon. Katy Gallagher, Hon. Dame Jacinda Ardern, Hon. Helen Clark, Hon. Julia Gillard AC, and Women Deliver CEO Dr. Maliha Khan.
Why This Matters to Our Community
For African, South Asian, South-East Asian, and other multicultural women living in Greater Geelong and regional Victoria, WD2026 is not an abstract global event. The themes on its agenda — women’s economic participation, bodily autonomy, climate justice, First Nations sovereignty, care economies, and feminist funding — are the lived realities of our communities.
Emerge will be at the conference to make sure the conversation does not stay in the plenary hall. We will bring back the stories, the commitments, the debates, and the voices — and translate them for our readers in Geelong and regional Victoria.
“WD2026 will be the most important conversation on gender equality held in Australia in a generation. Our community deserves to be part of it.”
Catherine Jonathan, Editor, Emerge Magazine
What to Expect from Emerge’s Coverage
From 27 April, Emerge will publish:
• Daily news dispatches from the conference floor
• Interviews with delegates, advocates, and speakers — including voices from Africa, the Oceanic Pacific, and the diaspora
• Analysis of what the Declaration for the International Development Sector means for our communities
• A post-conference community debrief — bringing the conversation back to Geelong
Follow our coverage at emergemagazine.com.au and across our social media channels.
About Women Deliver 2026
Women Deliver 2026 takes place 27–30 April 2026 in Narrm (Melbourne), Australia. The conference brings together leaders from across government, civil society, multilateral agencies, philanthropy, and community to advance gender equality globally. For registration and program information visit womendeliver.org/wd2026
