The Commonwealth Women’s Forum (CWF) 2026 is inviting prospective participants to express their interest in attending a major forum focused on advancing women’s leadership, economic empowerment, gender equality, and women’s rights.
The forum will bring together participants interested in contributing to discussions around some of the most pressing issues affecting women and girls, including leadership, economic opportunity, violence against women and girls, climate change, and accountability for gender equality.
Key Discussion Areas
The Commonwealth Women’s Forum 2026 will focus on five major themes:
- Women in leadership
- Women’s economic empowerment
- Ending violence against women and girls
- Gender and climate change
- Accountability for gender equality
Who Should Consider Participating?
The pre-registration form is designed for prospective participants who have an interest, experience, expertise, or perspective that can contribute to the Forum’s thematic discussions.
Participants may come from different sectors, including:
- Government institutions
- Intergovernmental organisations
- Non-governmental organisations
- Non-profit organisations
- Private-sector organisations
- Women’s rights and gender-equality initiatives
- Organisations working on climate change, economic empowerment, leadership, or social development
Applicants are asked to provide their organisation, designation/job title, organisation type, and a brief statement explaining their motivation for participating and how their experience or expertise could contribute to the Forum.
The motivation statement must be no more than 600 characters.
Important: This Is a Pre-Registration/Expression of Interest
Submitting the form does not guarantee registration or participation in the Commonwealth Women’s Forum 2026.
The form is intended to help capture expressions of interest and support planning and organisation of the Forum. Eligible applicants will receive further information about confirmation of participation and registration or accreditation procedures at a later stage.
Applicants should therefore understand that completing the form is an initial expression of interest rather than confirmation of attendance.
The Forum Is Self-Funded
One of the most important points for prospective participants is that the Commonwealth Women’s Forum 2026 is a self-funded event.
Delegates who are confirmed to participate will be responsible for covering their own:
- International or domestic travel
- Accommodation
- Visa expenses, where applicable
- Travel and medical insurance
- Other personal or logistical expenses associated with attending the Forum
The Commonwealth Secretariat will not provide travel funding, arrange travel, book accommodation, or provide associated logistical support for delegates attending the Forum.
Prospective participants should therefore consider their ability to finance their participation before submitting an expression of interest.
Data and Confirmation Requirements
Before submitting the form, applicants must confirm that the information they have provided is accurate and complete to the best of their knowledge.
Applicants must also acknowledge that participation in CWF 2026 is self-funded.
In addition, the form requests applicants’ consent for their personal data to be processed for the purposes of administering the Commonwealth Women’s Forum.
How to Prepare a Strong Expression of Interest
Although the form only requests a short motivation statement, applicants should use the limited space strategically.
A strong response could briefly demonstrate:
- Why the Commonwealth Women’s Forum is relevant to their work or interests.
- Which thematic area they are most connected to.
- Relevant professional, academic, community, advocacy, or leadership experience.
- What perspective or contribution they could bring to the Forum.
- How participation could support their ongoing work in advancing gender equality.
Because the statement is limited to 600 characters, applicants should avoid lengthy background information and focus on their most relevant experience and contribution.
Conclusion
The Commonwealth Women’s Forum 2026 provides an opportunity for prospective participants to express their interest in engaging with discussions on women’s leadership, economic empowerment, violence against women and girls, gender and climate change, and accountability for gender equality.
The Forum is open to prospective participants from a range of professional and organisational backgrounds, but participation is not guaranteed through pre-registration and the event is self-funded. Individuals interested in attending should carefully consider the financial requirements and provide a focused, relevant motivation statement when submitting their expression of interest.
Click HERE for more conference opportunities.
