In late April, Lighthouse Foundation had the privilege of attending Women Deliver 2026 — one of the world’s leading global conferences dedicated to advancing gender equality and the rights of women and girls.
Representing Lighthouse at the conference were our Head of Partnerships, Jo and Therapeutic Case Manager for our Young Women’s Freedom program, Masuma, who shared insights into our first of its kind program and connected with advocates, leaders and changemakers from across the globe. Masuma also took to the stage at Open Ground, a forum within the conference designed to amplify diverse voices and transformational initiatives from around the world.
For Lighthouse, the experience was both deeply inspiring and a powerful reminder that the work of supporting vulnerable young women is part of a much broader global movement for all young women to feel safe.
Spotlighting the Young Women’s Freedom Program
At Women Deliver 2026, Masuma spoke with hundreds of changemakers from around the world about Lighthouse’s Young Women’s Freedom Program — a specialised tailored care program providing safe homes and therapeutic care to young women escaping, or at risk of, modern slavery practices including forced marriage and domestic servitude, as well as other forms of gender-based violence.
Out of all 87 young people who were supported in Lighthouse Youth-Focused programs within the 24’25 FY period:
- 7% of referrals were connected to cases of early forced marriage.
- 2% were linked to human trafficking.
- 2% involved cases of domestic/sexual servitude
The program provides young women with not only safe and stable housing, but also the long-term relational support needed to rebuild trust, develop independence and create pathways toward a brighter future.
You can learn more about the program here.
The response from conference attendees was overwhelmingly positive. Many people who visited Lighthouse’s section of the Gen Vic stall shared stories from their own communities and recognised the importance of trauma-informed, community-led approaches to supporting vulnerable young women.
For Jo, the conference reinforced how interconnected these issues are across countries and cultures.
“Women Deliver was one of the most inspiring and galvanising events I’ve attended. Being surrounded by thousands of people from around the world who are courageously fighting for the rights of women and girls reminded me that Lighthouse’s work – especially in our Young Women’s Freedom Program – is part of a much bigger global movement for safety, dignity and freedom.”
Masuma’s voice on the global stage
A particularly meaningful moment for the Lighthouse team was seeing Masuma speak at Open Ground by AIDN — a collaborative space within the conference where attendees gathered to connect, share ideas and engage more deeply with the work of conference attendees..
Masuma spoke powerfully about her childhood growing up in Afghanistan, where witnessing the injustices experienced by women and girls profoundly shaped her passion for advocacy and her career supporting young women. She reflected on the complex realities many young women face when leaving unsafe family environments, emphasising that meaningful support must extend beyond immediate crisis responses and focus on long-term safety, stability and healing.
Her presence on stage reflected the importance of ensuring lived experience voices are not only included in conversations about gender equality and social change, but centred within them.
Reflecting on the experience, Masuma said:
“Women Deliver 2026 was a deeply inspiring experience. It was powerful to see so many leaders from across the world coming together with the same purpose: to advance gender equality, safety, dignity, and justice for women and girls.”
She also spoke about the impact of connecting with other advocates and young women leaders throughout the conference.
“One of my personal highlights was speaking with so many young women and leaders from lived experience backgrounds who are advocating for gender equality in their own communities and across the world. Hearing their courage, wisdom, and hope reminded me of the incredible potential in the young women we support through the Young Women’s Freedom Program. It raised my hope even more for what our young women can achieve when they are given safety, trust, opportunity, and the space to use their voice.”
Creating safer futures for young women
Women Deliver 2026 reinforced the importance of creating spaces where young women feel safe and supported to shape their own futures.
For Lighthouse, it was an opportunity to share the impact of the Young Women’s Freedom Program with a global audience, learn from others leading change in their communities, and continue advocating for long-term, trauma-informed support for young women experiencing violence and exploitation.
Most importantly, it was a reminder of what’s possible when young women are given safety, trust and the opportunity to use their voice.
