The Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ms. Amina J. Mohammed, has stated that three decades after the Beijing Conference and thirty-one years after the Cairo Conference, society is still debating whether a woman's body belongs to her. She emphasized that securing the rights of women and girls remains the world's unfinished business and is, in fact, regressing due to new technologies that amplify misogyny and online violence.
Melbourne Declaration for Gender Equality
To address these challenges, the Melbourne Declaration for Gender Equality was launched this week at Women Deliver 2026 (WD2026). This global commitment aims to rebalance power, resources, and accountability. The Declaration sets out a path to close the gap between what is possible and the lived realities of girls and women worldwide.
Voices and Ownership
Shaped by more than 650 voices from various regions, generations, and movements, the Declaration identifies what is not working and what must change. It is not owned by any single organization but by the people and movements driving it forward. The Declaration calls on states to uphold human rights obligations, institutions to strengthen accountability, and funders to resource feminist movements and locally led change.
Endorsements and Commitments
The Declaration has already been endorsed by several countries, including Colombia, Finland, France, Mexico, Norway, Slovenia, Spain, the United Kingdom, Uruguay, and Canada. Women Deliver President and CEO Dr. Maliha Khan described the Melbourne Declaration as a decisive turning point. “It’s a commitment to do things differently. It recognises that the challenge is not a lack of promises, but a failure to deliver on them. What comes next must be defined by accountability to people, and not just to systems,” she said.
Conference Highlights
The conference brought together 6,000 delegates from over 189 countries, creating a global platform for dialogue, collaboration, and action amid growing pressure on gender equality. This urgency was reinforced by new and renewed commitments totaling approximately $190 million in financial pledges, signaling growing momentum toward implementation. Key actions included major funding commitments, the launch of global initiatives on health systems and tech-facilitated violence, and strengthened political commitments to deliver on gender equality and sexual and reproductive health and rights.
Dismantling Dysfunctional Systems
Throughout the conference, themes explored the dismantling of systems that are no longer working, shaped by chronic underinvestment, shrinking civic space, and the rise of coordinated anti-rights movements. The Declaration responds by calling for a reorientation of the gender equality ecosystem—one that prioritizes public systems, strengthens civil society’s ability to hold power to account, and ensures international actors support rather than substitute state responsibility and locally led leadership.
Framework for Accountability
Senior Director for Collective Action at Women Deliver, Paola Salwan Daher, said the Declaration provides a framework for sustained accountability. “This is about aligning action with commitments that already exist. The Melbourne Declaration creates a shared reference point for what accountability looks like, across governments, institutions, and funders, and what must change moving forward,” she explained. Dr. Khan added, “We are at a moment where progress is not guaranteed, where conflict, climate change, economic instability, and shrinking civic space are reshaping the lives of millions. The impact of the Melbourne Declaration will be measured by whether it responds to these realities and delivers change where it is most urgently needed.”
