Will Women Deliver drive gender equality in Melbourne?
The triennial conference, which was last held in 2023 in Kigali in Rwanda, is coming to the Oceania region for the first time. It has previously taken place in the UK, the US, Malaysia, Denmark and Canada. The conference serves as a catalyst for change, uniting leaders, advocates and organisations to drive meaningful progress on the issues that matter most to girls, women, and gender diverse people.
Melbourne has won the bid to host Women Deliver 2026, one of the largest and most significant global conferences on gender equality and women’s rights.
The triennial conference, which was last held in 2023 in Kigali in Rwanda, is coming to the Oceania region for the first time. It has previously taken place in the UK, the US, Malaysia, Denmark and Canada. The conference serves as a catalyst for change, uniting leaders, advocates and organisations to drive meaningful progress on the issues that matter most to girls, women, and gender diverse people.
Women Deliver 2026 will take place from 27-30 April 2026 at Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre and is expected to attract 6,500 delegates from across 170 countries, providing a forum dedicated to advancing gender equality and the health and rights of women and girls. The three-day event will amplify the voices of the Oceania Pacific region in global conversations about gender equality while forging connections between the region’s businesses, governments, and communities.
Melbourne Convention Bureau chief executive Julia Swanson said: “We’re delighted to host Women Deliver 2026 in Melbourne on behalf of the Oceania Pacific region. Events like this create a critical platform for dialogue, knowledge sharing, and networking, empowering participants to drive transformative change and advance gender equality worldwide."
Women Deliver president and CEO Dr. Maliha Khan added: “We are thrilled to work with our partners in the Oceanic Pacific to bring one of the most influential spaces for gender equality to the region. We look forward to collaborating with and learning from gender equality advocates – including feminist activists, First Nations leaders, and more, to advance the health and rights of adolescent girls and women not only in the Oceanic Pacific but around the world.”
Melbourne previously hosted a smaller regional Women Deliver convening in 2023. The bid for Women Deliver 2026 was spearheaded by the Melbourne Convention Bureau (MCB) in collaboration with the Victorian State Government Department of Families, Fairness and Housing, with support from the Federal Government, Tourism Australia's Business Events Bid Fund Program and Oceanic Pacific stakeholders.