Huairou Commission Governing Council Meets in Nairobi to Strengthen Global Grassroots Women’s Movement

NAIROBI, Kenya – The Huairou Commission held its first in-person Governing Council meeting of 2026 from February 16-18 in Nairobi, Kenya. Leaders representing grassroots women’s organizations from Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Latin America, and North America & Europe came together to review the movement’s progress, strengthen global governance, and set shared priorities for the year ahead.

The meeting provided an opportunity to take stock of commitments made at the 2024 Global Grassroots Women’s Congress in Istanbul, with leaders from all regions reporting on achievements and priorities in areas including grassroots women’s leadership development, community resilience, food systems, land rights, and climate justice. The Council reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that grassroots women remain at the center of decision-making – from the community level to global policy spaces.

Key outcomes of the meeting included decisions to strengthen the Commission’s governance structures, deepen investment in grassroots women’s leadership development across all regions, and formalize processes to support movement cohesion and collaboration. The Council also adopted a 2026 annual calendar to guide coordinated engagement between global leaders and regional members throughout the year.