Congresses have long been measured on their ability to attract high numbers of delegates and contribute to the visitor economy. However, increasingly the goal for conference organisers goes beyond economic impact; association leaders are focused on long term legacy outcomes from their event, from policy change to new partnerships and initiatives.
Women Deliver 2026, held in Melbourne, is a case study in what that shift looks like in practice. This transformational event resulted in not only unprecedented numbers of delegates from around the world, but also political and funding commitments that will have a positive impact on gender equality for decades to come.
6,100 delegates from 189 countries – the largest geographic spread for any conference held in Melbourne – attended Women Deliver in Melbourne, a testament to the city’s ability to host large-scale events with an international cohort of attendees. The congress convened former world leaders and representatives from global organisations alongside advocates, researchers and First Nations leaders.
Not just an event
“Connecting Women Deliver organisers with government representatives and industry partners was essential to creating an event that delivered impact beyond the conference itself,” says Melbourne Convention Bureau Chief Executive, Julia Swanson. “These connections enabled collaboration across sectors, helping align discussions with policy priorities, strengthen community engagement, mobilise resources, and create opportunities for meaningful legacy outcomes.”
A strong example of the outcomes of Women Deliver 2026 is the Melbourne Declaration for Gender Equality, launched during the congress after a year of consultation. The Declaration, which calls for a more fair and just global gender equality ecosystem, was endorsed over 900 times. Additionally, 11 governments signed the States Declaration, calling for accountability, rights, and gender equality.
Beyond the Melbourne Declaration, approximately $1.8 billion USD in financial commitments were made at the conference, including $218.5 million USD in new grant commitments. This financial investment will make a tangible difference to gender equality around the world for years to come.
| WOMEN DELIVER 2026: THE NUMBERS | |
| 6,100 delegates from 189 countries | 246 languages spoken on site |
| 110 exhibitors | $42m AUD economic impact for Melbourne |
| 1.47bn global media reach, 200+ media on the ground | 829 endorsements of the Melbourne Declaration |
| 11 government signatories to the Declaration | $1.8bn USD in funding commitments announced |
Melbourne as partner in delivering events
The success of Women Deliver showcases the strength of the partnership between the organisers, the Melbourne Convention Bureau, and the partners that contributed to the event.
“We didn’t see Melbourne as a venue. We truly saw them as a partner,” says President & CEO of Women Deliver, Maliha Khan. “We’ve been able to really form a strong partnership with the City of Melbourne, the Government of Victoria and the Commonwealth Government.”
She’s also direct about why that mattered for this particular event: “In these troubling times when there’s such a pushback against gender equality, there’s only a handful of places I can think of right now where not only is the gender movement moving forward, but the governments are so aligned and progressive.”
For Julia Swanson, that alignment is the product of years of groundwork rather than a single successful bid.
“This achievement reflects years of collaboration, trust and values-driven leadership, and a shared commitment to delivering a legacy that extends well beyond the conference itself,” Swanson says. “Our collaborative Team Melbourne approach, bringing together government, industry and the community, results in immersive and transformational business events that go far beyond the conference venue.”
In practice, “Team Melbourne” meant MCB, the Victorian Government, Tourism Australia, the City of Melbourne, the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, and PCO Arinex working as one coordinated bid and delivery unit rather than a stack of separate vendor relationships – a structure association executives increasingly say they look for, because it removes the burden of forming and managing those relationships themselves.
Hosting an event in Melbourne means accessing a ready-made network of government, industry and event delivery partners, all coordinated by MCB as the central point of contact to make the experience of planning and delivering a congress seamless.
Creating an inclusive and accessible event
Inclusive design was built into the congress from planning stage rather than added once the programme was set. With initiatives including a free onsite childcare, a dedicated Youth Zone, International Sign interpretation, multilingual materials and gender-inclusive facilities, all delegates felt welcomed and able to fully participate in the event.
“Inclusive event design means the integration of inclusivity across every facet,” says Maree de Pasquale, Group CEO of Arinex. “It means delegates arrive in a space that feels safe, welcoming and accessible to everyone.”
First Nations leadership was treated the same way. “What Women Deliver did differently was embed First Nations perspectives from the very beginning,” says Stacy Piper of the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation. “It wasn’t an add-on. It wasn’t something that happened at the end. It was part of the conversation from the start.”
Women Deliver 2026 represents the perfect example of what association leaders can look for when choosing a host destination for their event: a destination that can convene the stakeholders the mission requires, not just accommodate them; where government relationships already exist, rather than having to be built from scratch; and where real world outcomes and a lasting legacy can be created.
MCB’s destination partnership model offers support that runs from bid development and government relations through to legacy planning and post-event outcomes. It treats the destination as a delivery partner across the full arc of the event, rather than a venue that opens its doors for four days.
Joyful defiance
Not every congress will produce a billion-dollar funding round or a declaration with government signatories. But the more modest, harder-to-quantify version of that outcome – the sense that a gathering actually mattered to the people who travelled for it – is exactly what Maliha Khan pointed to when asked to sum up the week.
“It takes us three years to pull a conference like this together… just hearing from all the delegates about how re-energised they’re feeling, how much connection they’re feeling, how much they have needed this,” she says. Asked for two words to describe it, her answer was simple: “joyful defiance.”
Click on the image above or here to watch the video case study of the event.
Discover how Melbourne can help your association achieve outcomes that extend beyond the conference itself. From stakeholder engagement and government connections to legacy planning and industry collaboration, Melbourne offers a partnership approach to delivering impactful global congresses. Melbourne Convention Bureau: www.melbournecb.com.au | info@melbournecb.com.au