Over March and April 2026, across global policy spaces including the 70th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70), the 59th Session of the Commission on Population and Development (CPD59), and Women Deliver 2026, AGIP members demonstrated the power of coordinated advocacy. Together, they elevated adolescent girls’ voices, advanced evidence-informed solutions, and pushed for stronger accountability, investment, and action for girls worldwide. 

CSW70: Bringing Girls to the Centre of Global Decision-Making 

At the 70th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70), AGIP members and Girl Advisors demonstrated the power of coordinated, girl-centred advocacy across a range of events, dialogues, and strategic engagements. 

A key moment during Women Deliver 2026 was the Together to End Child Marriage event convened by AGIP member Girls Not Brides, alongside partners including AGIP members Plan International and Malala Fund. The event marked an important opportunity to spotlight renewed commitments to ending child marriage, including the launch and advancement of collective efforts under the global partnership to end child marriage, while sharing new evidence and insights on progress, challenges, and solutions. 

With support from Panorama Global, AGIP Girl Advisor Luiza Caleia (AGAC Cohort 2) was invited to speak during the event, bringing an adolescent girl perspective to discussions on accountability, participation, and the importance of ensuring girls are meaningfully involved in shaping the policies and programmes designed to affect their lives. 

Akili Dada moderated a panel during the same event exploring innovative solutions to ending child marriage, highlighting the power of storytelling, direct investment in girls, and community-driven education models that connect local realities with policy action. The coalition also showcased evidence designed to make research more accessible and actionable for girl leaders, including AGIP-GAGE’s Investing in Adolescent Girls: Mapping Global Funding Patterns 2016–2023 – A Summary for Young Advocates. Analysing global ODA trends, the publication highlighted persistent funding gaps, limited support for girl-led organisations, and the urgent need for more equitable investments in adolescent girls worldwide. 

CSW70 also provided opportunities for meaningful intergenerational dialogues with governments. Luiza joined youth activists from Mozambique, the Dominican Republic, Ireland, and the United States for a conversation with AGIP Accountability Champion, Barbara Curran, Director General at Global Affairs Canada. Hosted by AGIP Co-Chair Awa Faly Ba, the discussion explored gender justice, youth leadership, and the importance of ensuring girls are meaningfully included in global decision-making processes. As the conversation concluded, DG Curran reaffirmed a message that resonated throughout the week: “We’re counting on your leadership, and it’s clear it’s here.” 

The International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) maintained a strong presence throughout the Commission, using the platform to advocate for sexual and reproductive health, rights and justice (SRHRJ) at a time of growing attacks on bodily autonomy, shrinking civic space, and anti-rights movements globally. Through a series of side events, IPPF convened advocates, policymakers, and community leaders to explore issues including abortion access, reproductive justice, strategic litigation, and accountability within legal and policy systems.

The 59th Session of the Commission on Population and Development (CPD59 

At the 59th Session of the Commission on Population and Development (CPD59), IPPF contributed to global discussions under the theme “Population, technology and research in the context of sustainable development.” Throughout the convening, IPPF advocated for sexual and reproductive health, rights, and justice (SRHRJ) to remain central to conversations on technological change, highlighting both the opportunities and risks that technology presents for women, girls, and marginalised communities.

Plan International brought a strong focus on youth leadership, digital rights, and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) to CPD59. Through its participation in national delegations, civil society advocacy spaces, and a high-level side event, Plan amplified the voices of young advocates and contributed to discussions on technology, digital safety, and girls’ rights. A key highlight was its youth-led side event, Innovation for Equality: Advancing SRHR in the Digital Era, which explored how technology can both expand access to information and services while also exposing girls and marginalized groups to new risks.  

AGIP at Women Deliver 2026 

Momentum from CSW70 and CPD59 carried forward into Women Deliver 2026 in Narrm (Melbourne), Australia, where AGIP members, partners, Girl Advisors, and Secretariat representatives came together to strengthen collective action for adolescent girls. 

Women Deliver also provided an important opportunity for in-person connection, including a dedicated AGIP member meet-up that brought together coalition members from across regions and organisations. We extend our sincere thanks to all members who joined, including colleagues from Akili Dada, Amplify Girls, GAGE, Plan International, IPPF, Women Deliver, Girls Not Brides, Restless Development, and others who took the time to connect, reflect, and strengthen relationships across the coalition. 

A particular highlight of Women Deliver 2026 was the strong presence and leadership of adolescent girls themselves. AGIP Girl Advisors and youth advocates actively shaped conversations, contributed to strategic discussions, and shared their experiences and expertise across conference spaces. 

Beyond AGIP-led engagements, coalition members also contributed to the Women Deliver programme through a range of sessions focused on resisting anti-rights movements, advancing adolescent girls’ rights, disability justice, SRHR, youth leadership, technology, and cross-movement solidarity. Organisations including Save the Children, GAGE, FRIDA, Plan International, IPPF, and Women Deliver convened discussions that elevated youth voices, explored emerging challenges and opportunities, and strengthened collective action for gender equality and girls’ rights across diverse movements and sectors. 

The AGIP secretariat convened two strategic events during the conference: 

Safeguarding Rights and Agency: Adolescent Engagement in Shrinking Civic Spaces 

Co-hosted with FRIDA | The Young Feminist Fund, (IPPF), Plan International, Restless Development, Women Deliver, (UNFPA), and UNGEI, this session explored how safeguarding must evolve to respond to shrinking civic space, digital harms, anti-rights backlash, and growing risks faced by adolescent girls and young feminist advocates. With contributions from Awa Faly Ba Plan International, Rushna Zubair, AGIP Girl Advisor, Sapphire Alexander from Caribbean Feminist, Grace Aumua, Youth Officer, Samoa Family Health Association, Leyla Sharafi, Chief, Gender, Human Rights and Inclusion Branch, UNFPA, Paige Andrew, Co-Executive Director, Frida Fund, Olivia Burns, Programe Manager, AGIP 

Discussions reinforced that safeguarding must move beyond compliance to centre care, dignity, wellbeing, accountability, and meaningful participation, with adolescent girls actively shaping the systems designed to protect them. To read about the event and key insights in more detail please check out our event report. 

Collective Action on Girl-Centred Accountability 

Girl-Centred Accountability strategy session, bringing together adolescent girl advocates, civil society organisations, researchers, donors, governments, and global partners. To turn promises for adolescent girls into action by aligning the girls’ rights ecosystem around the key global commitments and accountability mechanisms to collectively prioritise over the next 18-24 months, supported by a shared understanding and tools on girl-centred accountability. Through presentations, interactive discussions, and breakout sessions, participants examined accountability mechanisms including the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), CEDAW, the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), and Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs), while identifying practical actions to strengthen implementation, investment, and girl-centred leadership. 

The session featured contributions from AGIP Co-Chair Joy Zawadi, Lo Riches (Women Deliver), Joanne Westtcot Simpson (Plan International) Christine Khuri (GAGE) AGAC Board Member Luiza Caleia, Olivia Burns (AGIP), alongside the launch of new evidence and tools designed to strengthen accountability across the adolescent girls’ ecosystem. Discussions reinforced the importance of moving beyond commitments towards meaningful action, ensuring adolescent girls are recognised as leaders within accountability processes and decision-making spaces.  

Read the full event report to explore the key insights, recommendations, and next steps that emerged from the session. 

Moving Forward Together 

From New York to Naarm, AGIP members demonstrated the value of coordinated advocacy, girl-centred leadership, evidence-informed action, and collective accountability. 

Across CSW70, CPD59 and Women Deliver 2026, one message remained clear: adolescent girls are not simply participants in these conversations they are leaders, advocates, experts, and change-makers. As global challenges continue to evolve, so too must our commitment to ensuring girls are meaningfully included, adequately resourced, and empowered to shape the decisions that affect their lives. 

Together, we continue advancing a future where adolescent girls are not only represented, but truly at the centre of global action.