By: Asim Nawaz/Editor
As the world marks International Women’s Day 2026 under the theme “Rights. Justice. Action. For ALL Women and Girls”, Women Deliver is calling for changes in how global systems operate and how power and resources are distributed.
Women Deliver CEO Maliha Khan said the world is at a decisive moment.
“Across the world, hard-won gains in gender equality are under attack. Authoritarian and far-right movements are growing more organized. Sexual and reproductive health and rights are being rolled back. Civic space is shrinking. Funding that communities rely on has disappeared overnight.
For years, the international development system has depended on a small group of donors and centralized institutions. Power, funding, and decision-making remain concentrated in a handful of Global North capitals far removed from the communities they affect. When donor priorities change, essential services such as health, education and sexual and reproductive health and rights are often the first to suffer.
More funding alone will not fix a model built on concentrated power. We need a system where citizens can hold their own governments accountable for delivering basic services.”
Maliha said International Women’s Day cannot stop at statements and events.
“Governments are responsible for protecting people’s rights. Donors and global institutions need to look honestly at how their funding shapes what countries can and cannot prioritize, even and perhaps especially when local civil society priorities differ from donor or iNGO agendas. Civil society must have the resources and space to hold leaders accountable. Protecting democracy and human rights means changing who holds power and how it is used.”
In response, Women Deliver and partners have convened consultations across Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, Europe, Australia, and Asia to co-create a Feminist Playbook, a collective declaration that defines a shared vision for justice and outlines concrete commitments to achieve it.
While the Playbook is still being shaped through consultations, a consistent theme has emerged: the need to dismantle colonial systems that keep power and decision-making in the hands of rich, Global Minority governments and a small pool of donors. Ultimately, the international development system must center on community priorities and support the ability of local civil society to hold their governments accountable to their needs. Early discussions call on States to meet their human rights obligations, on donors and global institutions to better support national leadership and civil society, and on organizations across sectors to commit to clear, measurable actions.
The Women Deliver 2026 Conference, taking place in April in Narrm, Melbourne, will serve as a key global moment in this process. Bringing together 6,500 participants from more than 170 countries, WD2026 will provide space to debate, finalize, and launch the Playbook. Governments, donors, civil society organizations, and partners will be invited to sign on to specific commitments.
WD2026 forms part of a longer effort to strengthen accountability and build systems that can withstand political shifts and funding changes. The process of consultation and implementation will continue beyond the Conference.
Across regions, consultations have highlighted frustration that local leadership is often sidelined when funding priorities are set externally. Participants have called for lived experience to be recognized as expertise and for decision-making and resources to be placed closer to the communities most affected by injustice.
“The Playbook reflects a shared commitment to rebuild systems so they serve girls, women, and gender-diverse people first,” Maliha said. “It places responsibility where it belongs. Governments must meet their obligations. Donors must fund in ways that strengthen local leadership. Civil society must continue to hold institutions accountable.
International Women’s Day reminds us what is at stake: the rights, safety, and futures of girls and women. WD2026 is where governments, funders, and advocates will come together to make concrete commitments and help shape systems that are more resilient and accountable.”
