Oxfam Australia, our international affiliates and our partners were proud to have a presence at this year’s Women Deliver 2026 Conference, held at the end of April in Melbourne on the unceded lands of the Kulin Nation.
Women Deliver is one of the world’s leading conferences focused on Gender Justice and Feminist solidarity, with this year’s conference bringing 6,000 delegates from 189 countries. In the organiser's words, "it’s a rallying point for feminist solidarity, resistance, and reimagination".
This year is particularly significant as the conference was held in our region for the first time. Bringing the conference to the Oceanic Pacific centred the voices of First Peoples leaders leading on climate change, gender equality and decolonisation, providing a wonderful opportunity for movement building.
Oxfam sent a group of around 30 delegates from Oxfam affiliates and partners around the world, including Australia, Canada and Hong Kong, and partner organisations from Timor-Leste, Colombia, Bangladesh, Indonesia, and the Philippines. We also held a very moving and memorable Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony at our office in Melbourne ahead of the conference.
Oxfam Australia hosted a side event called ‘Strength & Safety NOW on the Climate Frontlines: Women Making Big Polluters Pay’ featuring Barbara Ibuai of Climate Collective Zenadth Kes from the Torres Strait and Grace Malie, Oxfam's Make Rich Polluters Pay global activist from Tuvalu. They shared powerful stories about how their communities are impacted by the climate crisis and what they’re doing to hold big polluters to account. There was also a speaker from Bushfire Survivors from Climate Action discussing the impacts of climate change and women and community-led solutions across Australia.
Oxfam’s work is only possible because of supporters like you and our global network of partners, activists peers and friends in this space. It was amazing to be surrounded by so many in one space and to hear about all the fantastic work they’re doing to build a more equal world.
