CNS: 2026

Reclaiming the narrative: Media, sexual health and bodily autonomy, and feminist storytelling

In Women Deliver Conference 2026 (WD2026) - largest gathering on gender equality this year, before the first plenary had even begun, a quieter but deeply urgent conversation unfolded in the Media Lounge - one that set the tone for everything that followed. Framed as a fireside chat, “Reclaiming the Narrative: Media, SRHR and Feminist Storytelling” brought together advocates, communicators, and frontline health workers to confront a pressing question: who gets to tell stories about bodies, rights, and health - and what happens when those stories are taken out of the hands of those who live them?

In Women Deliver Conference 2026 - largest gathering on gender equality this year - a panel of transgender rights leaders and advocates from across Asia and the Pacific came together to speak about a reality that is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore: the intensifying global backlash against transgender rights, and the deeply personal toll it is taking on communities already pushed to the margins. What emerged from the discussion was not just a policy conversation, but a powerful reminder that behind every law, every statistic, and every debate are people whose lives cannot - and should not - be reduced to categories, labels, or data points.

In Women Deliver Conference 2026 - largest gathering on gender equality this year - a conversation unfolded that was as urgent as it was deeply contested: abortion rights are human rights. Framed within the broader agenda of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), this SHE & Rights session brought together activists, media voices, and advocates who are working across vastly different political and cultural landscapes. Yet despite these differences, what united them was a shared insistence that abortion is not merely a policy issue or a moral debate—it is fundamentally about dignity, autonomy, and the right to decide over one’s own body.

The common phrase 'good girls take care of family' reflects a deeply ingrained social expectation, often referred to as 'Good Girl Syndrome,' where girls and women are expected to be nurturers, compliant, and prioritise others' needs over their own. This often translates to handling household burdens, emotional labour, and caregiving to ensure family stability.

In Women Deliver Conference 2026, a session unfolded with a title that felt less like a discussion and more like a deadline: "56 months left to end female genital mutilation/ cutting (FGM/C): Are we on track?" The urgency was unmistakable. Female genital mutilation/ cutting (FGM/C), a practice internationally recognised as a violation of human rights, remains deeply embedded in social, cultural, and structural systems across parts of the world. Yet what this session made clear is that the question is not only whether the world is on track to end it - but whether the world is truly listening to those most affected, and whether the strategies in place are grounded in their lived realities.

The 2026 Women Deliver Conference brought together more than 6,500 advocates, researchers, policy makers and donors all committed to advancing women’s human rights. But what if there was a key strategy that has been instrumental in advancing women’s human rights but largely missing from the conference?

Despite growing backlash against women’s rights and feminist movements globally, it gives hope to see that the world’s largest gathering on gender equality this year – Women Deliver Conference 2026 - was attended by around 6000 people from 189 countries globally. The city that hosted this meet - Narrm or Melbourne in Australia - has an inspiring history of resistance which runs through its lands and waters, carried by generations of First Nations (indigenous) leaders, feminists, and activists who have fought for justice, self-determination, and collective care.

SHE & Rights Media Awards Ceremony 2026 - Women Deliver Conference 2026 #WD2026

[video] Reclaiming the Narrative: Media, SHR and Feminist Storytelling | Fireside chat at Women Deliver Conference 2026

[video] Reflections from Women Deliver Conference 2026 and way forward to deliver on SDG-5 and SDG-3 by 2030

[video] Transgender rights in anti-rights era

[video] Ending AIDS in anti-rights and anti-gender era

[video] 56 months left to end FGM/C: Are we on track?

[video] Centring breast and cervical cancer prevention and care in gender justice, rights and evidence

[video] Gender sensitive local actions are critical for reducing NCDs and ending TB, tobacco use

[video] Abortion rights are human rights

[video] Legally binding treaty for development justice for older persons

[video] Drug resistance or Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) under gender lens | Women Deliver Conference 2026

[video] Know more about 9th RHNK Pan African Adolescents and Youth SRHR Conference 2026 and SVRI Forum 2026

[video] Cook Islands in the Pacific: Sexual and reproductive health, rights and justice

[video] Are gender equality and right to health taking primacy in development?

SHE & Rights LIVE #WD2026: Session 15: Equitable access for youth to sexual, reproductive and mental health: Rethinking funding towards integrated models

SHE & Rights LIVE at the Women Deliver Conference 2026 - sessions are being hosted at D03 Exhibition Space in Narrm (Melbourne), Australia. All sessions are hybrid, live-streamed and host online and onsite speakers and participants including media.

SHE & Rights LIVE #WD2026: Session 12: Transgender rights in anti-rights era

SHE & Rights LIVE at the Women Deliver Conference 2026 - sessions are being hosted at D03 Exhibition Space in Narrm (Melbourne), Australia. All sessions are hybrid, live-streamed and host online and onsite speakers and participants including media.

SHE & Rights LIVE #WD2026: Session 3: 9th RHNK Pan African adolescent & youth SRHR conference 2026 and SVRI Forum 2026

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the top global public health and development threats today.

"Change calls us here to gather, strategise and shift power," so says the theme of Women Deliver Conference 2026, which is purported to be the world's largest global gathering on gender equality and the rights and health of girls, women, and gender diverse peoples this year.

High level ministerial delegations from over 100 countries (mostly from the Global South) are expected to converge in Nigeria this June to attend the 5th High Level Ministerial Meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) that will be held on the African soil for the first time in history, with the Nigerian government hosting it.

SHE & Rights Media Awards Ceremony would be held at Women Deliver Conference 2026 on 29th April 2026

The third edition of the SHE & Rights Media Awards 2026 has received an inspiring response, with 351 applications from 29 countries worldwide.

[video] Launch of Global AMR Media Awards 2026 by German film and TV actress Annabelle Mandeng

[video] Global Media Briefing ahead of 5th High Level Ministerial Meeting on AMR

Global Media Briefing ahead of 5th High Level Ministerial Meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)

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The 5th High level Ministerial Meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) is being held in Nigeria. This would be the first time ever when this high level meet would be held in Nigeria as well as on the African continent.

The current funding crisis is exposing a deeper flaw in development: progress for girls and women still depends too heavily on external actors, not on governments accountable to their people.

Amidst the high decibel organising to mark World TB Day 2026 globally, we got a chance to spend time at TB ground zero: a shelter home for the homeless people in a state (Delhi) with the highest TB incidence in a country with the highest TB burden worldwide (India).

Around the world, millions of women and girls are denied equal rights to education, employment, pay, inheritance, land rights - the list is endless. Even by law women have fewer rights than men. Globally, women hold only 64% (which is less than two-thirds) of the legal rights enjoyed by men. In other words, laws that protect and guarantee the human rights to safety, freedom, and opportunities are biased against women and girls.

Author: Dr Benjamin Paulus Octavianus

Vice Health Minister of Indonesia

On March 24, Indonesia joins the world in marking World Tuberculosis Day 2026 under the theme “Yes End TB. Led by countries. Powered by people.” This message is clear: ending TB requires strong national leadership and the active participation of communities, survivors, health workers, and the private sector.

[Watch] With only 56 months left to end TB globally by 2030, the progress is way off the mark. To end TB, we have to protect people from getting infected with TB bacteria in the first place - and - we have to find all those with TB disease (correct and timely diagnosis), link them to effective and right treatment, care and support.

Progress at CSW70 despite increasing pushbacks against gender equality

The 70th session of the intergovernmental UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) - UN's largest annual forum on gender equality – which began on 9th March 2026, is to conclude on 19th March 2026 at UN Headquarters in New York. This year’s priority theme under discussion was "Ensuring and strengthening access to justice for all women and girls, including by promoting inclusive and equitable legal systems, eliminating discriminatory laws, policies, and practices, and addressing structural barriers."

Antimicrobial resistance under gender lens

Is there a connect between gender and antimicrobial resistance (AMR)? If you think that infection-causing microbes (virus, bacteria, fungi, parasites) impact all genders the same, be welcome to read on...

[video] Women's Rights Caucus virtual press conference around CSW70

[video] Economic rights and political participation of women is a pathway to gender equality: Shobha Shukla speaks in Nigeria's The AGE Network to mark IWD2026

SHE & Rights | Join Women's Rights Caucus briefing on CSW70 and its outcomes

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Join SHE & Rights session featuring the virtual press conference of Women's Rights Caucus around 70th Session of the UN Commission on Status of Women (CSW70). This press conference is together co-hosted by Co-Convenors: Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development, The African Women’s Development and Communication Network, Fòs Feminista, Outright International, and Young Feminist Caucus; and partners including Global Center for Health Diplomacy and Inclusion and CNS.

[video] Day-1 ASICON 2026 | 17th National Conference of AIDS Society of India (ASICON 2026)

[video] When is 50 actually 70? Frailty and accelerated ageing: Dr. Tristan Barber, UK at ASICON 2026

[video] Dawn of a New Era in TB prevention: Innovative Therapy and Vaccines | Dr Kogie Naidoo of CAPRISA speaks at #ASICON2026

[video] Latest updates on HIV science from #CROI2026: What should change? Dr Tristan Barber at #ASICON2026

Will a landmark judgment spur progress from menstrual hygiene to menstrual justice?

In a landmark judgment delivered on 30th January 2026, the Supreme Court of India declared menstrual health an integral component of individual fundamental rights, making India the only country in the world to constitutionally guarantee menstrual health. This far-reaching judgement linked menstrual health to the right to life under Article 21 of India's constitution, which, the Court emphasised, is not confined to a mere existence but includes the right to live with dignity, health, and self-respect, highlighting the need to dismantle the shame surrounding menstruation.

[video] What's new in HIV science? Doravirine: added value in current antiretroviral therapy basket

[video] Hope vs Hype: HIV Vaccines, bNAbs and Cure | Prof Andrea Cossarizza presents at #ASICON2026

[video] Are we on track to end AIDS in next 58 months (by 2030)?

[video] Opportunistic cancers in people living with HIV: anal, cervical & HPV-related cancers

[video] Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) under gender lens

Curtain-raiser press conference of India's largest AIDS conference #ASICON2026

The Seventeenth National Conference of AIDS Society of India (ASICON 2026) would be held in Mumbai, India from 6-7 March 2026 on the theme: "Adding life to years with science and solidarity." Two important workshops would be held on 5th March and 8th March (International Women's Day) as part of the scientific programme of ASICON 2026.

This is indeed a historic first when governments have come together to draft a legally binding possible treaty to protect the human rights of older persons. The first ever Inter Governmental Working Group (IGWG) meeting to protect the rights of older persons was held recently. IGWG was created by the UN Human Rights Council in April 2025 and given the mandate to draft a legally binding UN Convention on the Rights of Older Persons.

[video] People Over Profit?

[video] Mainstream development justice framework for health, gender, climate, social, and economic justices and accountability to peoples

SHE & Rights ahead of CSW70 and International Women's Day

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Next SHE & Rights session will be held on 26th February 2026, Thursday, ahead of International Women’s Day (8th March) and 70th Session of the UN Commission on Status of Women or CSW70 (9-19 March) as well as during the intergovernmental Asia Pacific People’s Forum on Sustainable Development and intergovernmental APFSD (Thailand).

More of the same model would fail us even more on sustainable development goals and targets. With 58 months left to deliver on SDG goals and targets for 2030, the pledge of “leave no one behind” would become even more unfulfilled if we do not make tectonic, transformative, equitable, innovative and coordinated shifts and actions, said noted feminist leader Sai Jyothirmai Racherla while delivering the keynote address at Asia Pacific Youth Forum on Sustainable Development, ahead of the intergovernmental meeting to review progress on specific goals and targets in Asia and the Pacific region.

"My journey on ending female genital mutilation/cutting did not begin in an office. Instead, my journey began when I knew where the shoe hurts the most. So, speaking from a perspective of personal experience and pain, some years back when I was a very young girl, I was subjected to female genital mutilation/cutting. That was the first turning point of my life because the pain and psychosocial trauma is so very raw even today in my head. But now I take it as an opportunity to save more than a thousand girls that I have known and who have passed through my hand but never underwent the cut,” said Catherine Menganyi HSC, nurse epidemiologist, and Co-Founder and Chapter Lead of Women in Global Health, Kenya. Catherine is a survivor of female genital mutilation/cutting and a powerful advocate to end it, as well as all other forms of gender-based violence.

Fortify accountability fulcrums like UPR to deliver on gender equality and right to health

Accountability is critical when it comes to ensuring that promises made by the governments translate into ground realities “where no one is left behind.” Without robust accountability mechanisms, we risk failing on goals and targets, such as those enshrined in Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) or other legally binding treaties, like Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), agreements, declarations and other global, regional or national commitments.

When AI serves the underserved by bridging access gaps and linkage to health services

If one assumes that artificial intelligence (AI) is for the ‘haves’ and not ‘have-nots,' then let us dive deeper into how AI is helping reach the unreached populations with state-of-the-art public health services. Not just Global North, but several countries of the Global South too are shattering this myth of 'AI for the rich and mighty' by deploying AI to serve the most underserved communities and helping overcome access barriers. This becomes even more important when such person-centred AI tools come from Global South innovators like DeepTek.

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SHE & Rights session on 6th February 2026 would mark the observance of International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation/ Cutting (FGM/C). SHE & Rights session will also focus on Indian Supreme Court's ruling reinforcing menstrual hygiene as a fundamental right.

[Watch SHE & Rights] Even before 2026 began, we were never on track to deliver on gender equality and human right to health and broader development justice. For example, there has been hardly any decline in gender-based violence perpetrated by intimate partners and others since 2000. Despite promises to end female genital mutilation/ cutting by 2030, rates have instead increased by 15% over the last 8 years.

Summit of sub-national government leaders from over 121 cities of 12 countries in Asia and the Pacific region unitedly passed an important declaration in Jakarta, Indonesia to save lives from preventable causes of diseases and untimely deaths, like tobacco use, TB, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

[video] Make #HealthForAll a reality for everyone, says Indonesia's Deputy Home Minister Bima Arya Sugiarto

[video] Developing health technologies designed to serve the underserved: CNS Inspire features Sriram Natarajan

[video] 2026 begins with growing anti-rights pushback against gender equality: It is time for accountability

[SHE & Rights] 2026 begins with growing anti-rights pushback against gender equality: It is time for accountability

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SHE & Rights' first session of the year 2026 would focus on the theme: "2026 begins with more anti-rights pushback against gender equality: It is time for accountability."

The year 2026 marks an important milestone with only 5 years left for world leaders to deliver on the promise of (). With zero new HIV infections and ensuring all are healthy (virally suppressed) and supported we can end AIDS now!