Women Leading the Future: Innovation, Sustainability, and Inclusive Growth

Date: 18 March 2026

Time: 10:00 AM – 11:15 AM

Venue: Conference Room 8

United Nations Headquarters, New York

9:30 AM Registration & Security Check-in

Participants are kindly requested to meet a representative from UNITAR outside the UNHQ Security

Entrance between 44th and 45th Street on 1st Avenue.

FICFF Memberships and Invitation Only

(BESPOKE PARTNER Membership, PARTNER Membership, PATRON Membership, ADVOCATE Membership)

• OPENING REMARKS

• SPECIAL OPENING ADDRESS

• PANEL I

From Influence to Impact: Innovation, Digital Economies, and Responsible Consumption

This session will examine how digital ecosystems, social entrepreneurship, and consumer-facing enterprises can advance sustainable development outcomes, promote women’s economic empowerment, and strengthen responsible production and consumption patterns in alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The discussion will highlight cross-sector collaboration and scalable models that translate digital influence into measurable and inclusive social impact.

• PANEL I – MODERATED Q&A

Audience engagement and brief reflections.

• PANEL II

Culture, Education, and Community: Investing in Long-Term Social Resilience

This session will explore how education, cultural engagement, reading initiatives, and community-based leadership contribute to inclusive and equitable development.

Particular emphasis will be placed on women-led grassroots models and how locally grounded initiatives can inform multilateral dialogue, strengthen capacity development frameworks, and foster sustainable social resilience across generations.

• PANEL II – MODERATED Q&A

Audience engagement and synthesis of key insights.

• CAIRO, EGYPT SPOTLIGHT

Education, Child Welfare, and Women-Led Community Transformation

This focused spotlight will present community-based approaches to child welfare and women-led transformation in Cairo, Egypt.

The session will reflect on how localized, community-driven initiatives contribute to global knowledge exchange, inclusive capacity development, and sustainable development partnerships.

READ MORE (FICFF Brings Focus to Egypt: Advancing Education, Women’s Empowerment, and Sustainable Development)

• BRIEF MODERATED REFLECTION AND TRANSITION

• CLOSING REMARKS

BACKGROUND

The 2026 Women’s Forum at the United Nations is a platform dedicated to advancing women’s leadership in innovation, sustainability, education, and inclusive economic growth. Hosted during the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) period in March 2026 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, and organized by the Fashion in a Conscious Future Foundation (FICFF) in partnership with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), the Forum aligns with key United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, including SDG 4: Quality Education, SDG 5: Gender Equality, SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, and SDG 13: Climate Action. 

CONTENT AND STRUCTURE

Under the 2026 theme, “Women Leading the Future: Innovation, Sustainability, and Inclusive Growth,” the programme features keynote remarks, moderated panel discussions, and a dedicated spotlight on Cairo, Egypt, highlighting women-led, community-based models that integrate education, child welfare, cultural development, and responsible business practices as drivers of long-term social resilience.

TARGETED AUDIENCE

The forum aims to bring together representatives from UN entities, business leaders, NGOs, digital innovators, and selected media to  foster cross-sector collaboration, amplifies women’s leadership globally, and drives sustainable and inclusive action.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

PLEASE NOTE: This programme is only open to those with UN grounds passes