A youth-led pre-conference in Melbourne has set the tone for the Women Deliver 2026 Conference, bringing together young leaders from across the world to define priorities and push for accountability ahead of the main global gathering.
Held on April 27 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, the Youth Pre-Conference began at 8:00am, bringing together a diverse group of young leaders from across countries and movements into a structured program designed to move quickly from discussion to collective positions.
The session opened with a segment that grounded participants in the global context and featured youth leadership voices. Organisers said the pre-conference offered an opportunity for young people to help shape the direction of wider discussions at the main conference.
After the initial session, participants moved into breakout discussions, choosing from three tracks that reflected core themes expected to carry through the broader Women Deliver 2026 Conference agenda: youth participation and leadership, access, rights and resistance, and feminist and youth financing.
Each track brought participants together in small groups to work through shared challenges and priorities, with a focus on discussion and exchange of ideas. The format signalled a shift in how youth engagement is approached in global forums. Rather than being observers, participants were involved in shaping the agenda, with an emphasis on defining clear “asks” to take into the main conference.
The program later moved into a co-creation session, where participants reconvened to present priorities from each track and develop shared messages. This stage marked a transition from discussion to consolidation, with ideas shaped into collective positions.
The inclusion of this roundtable is an attempt to bridge a common gap in global conferences, where youth perspectives are often gathered but not directly addressed by those in positions of influence.
Participants presented shared priorities and outlined expectations for the days ahead. These outcomes are expected to feed into the discussions taking place at WD2026.
Throughout the day, additional spaces were set up to support networking and collaboration. These included open networking areas, a resource hub with advocacy tools, and structured activities designed to connect participants working on similar issues.
The program also included quieter spaces and informal engagement formats, reflecting an awareness of the intensity of such gatherings and the need for flexible participation.
The themes discussed during the pre-conference align closely with wider debates within the gender equality sector, particularly around funding, access to rights and the role of young people in decision-making processes.
Background global discussions points to a growing concern that youth-led movements remain under-resourced despite playing a central role in advocacy and community work. Conversations on financing, in particular, have increasingly focused on how funding structures can better support grassroots organisations and reduce barriers to access.
Background global discussions points to a growing concern that youth-led movements remain under-resourced despite playing a central role in advocacy and community work
The emphasis on financing within the youth program reflects these concerns, with one of the three core tracks dedicated to examining funding challenges and exploring more flexible and equitable approaches.
Similarly, the focus on access, rights and resistance highlights the conditions many young activists are working within, including restrictive political environments and ongoing debates around rights and representation.
The leadership track, meanwhile, centres on participation and influence, with discussions aimed at strengthening youth voices within global and local systems.
Organisers have framed the Youth Pre-Conference as a space where ideas can be tested and refined before entering larger, more formal discussions at the main conference. The outputs from the day are expected to inform sessions and conversations across WD2026.
As the broader conference opens, the priorities identified by young participants are likely to be reflected in discussions on accountability, funding and the role of civil society.
The Youth Pre-Conference also highlights a wider effort to embed youth engagement more directly into global processes, moving beyond symbolic inclusion towards more structured participation.
With the main conference now underway in Melbourne, attention will turn to how these youth-led priorities are carried forward and whether they influence the direction of policy discussions and commitments emerging from the event.
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