WLEH at Women Deliver 2026: A Global Stage for Eye Health Leadership

By Jennifer Tapia Boada

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The Power of Women Deliver:

The Women Deliver Conference, which took place in Melbourne at the end of April, is one of the world’s largest and most influential gatherings dedicated to the health, rights, and well-being of women and girls. Bringing together thousands of decision-makers, advocates, and world leaders, it serves as a critical catalyst for driving policy change and investment in gender equality.

Our presence in Melbourne, represented by our WLEH members Heidi Chase and Njoki Wachira from Seva Foundation, as well as Kathleen Sherwin, Lucy Mvula, Clare Szalay Timbo, Lusungu Nyirenda-Mwami, Jennifer Tapia Boada and Shelby Stonecypher from Orbis, signified a vital pillar of our Global Advocacy strategy.

By engaging in this major global forum, we sought to ensure that eye health is no longer a neglected piece of the gender equality puzzle. Our participation allowed us to contribute to international health dialogues, align with global policy instruments such as the Melbourne Declaration and the Feminist Health Systems Charter, and advocate for a future where women are at the forefront of health system design.

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Taking Center Stage: "Elevating eye health beyond vision"

Our delegation hit the ground running with a joint concurrent session between Orbis International, Seva Foundation, The Fred Hollows Foundation, Sightsavers and the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness.  

Entitled "Seeing Gender-Equal Development: Elevating Eye Health beyond vision”, the session was a landmark moment for our initiative. The WLEH model was showcased to global experts as a premier example of how to operationalize gender-transformative eye care.

The room was energized by the oral intervention of the Hon. Minister Cathy Nori from the Solomon Islands, who spoke powerfully on the necessity of long-term equity. This was echoed by Caroline Casey (IAPB), whose insights underscored a core WLEH truth: gender equity is not merely a goal to be reached, but a leadership imperative that must be embedded in every level of our sector.  

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From Beneficiaries to Leaders!

A highlight of the session was the panel discussion on Women’s leadership where Orbis CEO Kathleen Sherwin and Seva’s Njoki Wachira contributed greatly. Together, they articulated a critical shift in our sector’s narrative. For too long, women have been viewed primarily as beneficiaries of eye health services; today, we are championing them as the leaders who shape systems, decisions, and outcomes.

Kathleen highlighted the importance of using gender-disaggregated data to drive systemic change and shared the success of the Women-Led Green Vision Center model as a testament to what happens when women lead.  
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Our presence within Orbis International’s Booth: Building Community Through Connection

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The heart of our participation lived at Booth H16. Here, we launched the WLEH Coffee Chats, a series of intimate discussion circles designed to foster deepen connection between peer organizations. These sessions explored how intentional mentorship and professional development can dismantle the barriers that often keep leadership positions out of reach for women.

To make these complex connections more accessible, we introduced our Interactive Dice Roll Game. This creative engagement tool allowed conference attendees to explore the intrinsic links between gender equality and eye health in a hands-on way, sparked by our interactive wall where visitors shared how vision has empowered their own lives.
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WLEH remains the cornerstone of our mission to ensure women’s voices are not just part of the conversation, but are leading the global agenda. Whether through high-level advocacy meetings with UN officials or coffee-shop-style circles, we are amplifying the vital perspectives necessary to build a more equitable world.

As we look forward to continue to engage in high level discussions in similar fora, we remain committed to our goal: ensuring that every woman in the eye health workforce has the pathway, the support, and the platform to lead.
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“For me, Women Deliver was a reminder that eye health isn’t a niche issue. It’s foundational. If we’re serious about gender equality, we have to talk about who can access care, who delivers it, and who leads health systems in the long term.”

Orbis attendee, Shelby Stonecipher, Senior Business Development Officer
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Learn more about Women Deliver

Read more about Women Deliver 2026 conference here.

Read Shelby Stonecipher’s Women Deliver blog here.

Read Clare Szalay Timbo’s Women Deliver reflection blog here.

For other conference reflections from the powerful four-day conference, review these posts for more highlights:  

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4