About this Event
The 5th International Summit on Ending Gender-Based Violence 2026- (ISEGBV2026)
Theme: From Commitment to Action: Global Pathways to Ending Gender-Based Violence
Dates: 27–28 November 2026
Location: Toronto Hilton Hotel, Toronto, Canada
Hosted by: The Centre for Social Justice Initiatives (TCSJI)
Event Overview
The International Summit on Ending Gender-Based Violence 2026 is a global convening and the fifth edition of this international gathering, bringing together survivors, advocates, policymakers, researchers, frontline practitioners, educators, and community leaders from around the world to advance practical, survivor-centered solutions to gender-based violence.
Building on the impact and momentum of the previous four convenings, including the 2025 Summit, the 2026 gathering moves beyond awareness and dialogue to focus on implementation, accountability, and systems change. The Summit will examine how global commitments, national policies, and community-based practices can be translated into measurable, sustained action at local, national, and international levels.
Held during the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, the Summit provides a platform for bold conversations, cross-sector collaboration, and global solidarity, while centering survivor dignity, prevention, and institutional responsibility. Through plenaries, panels, practice-based sessions, and skill-building workshops, participants will engage with evidence-informed strategies and collective pathways toward ending gender-based violence.
As its fifth convening, the International Summit on Ending Gender-Based Violence continues to strengthen global partnerships, deepen accountability, and support long-term change well beyond the Summit itself.
2. Summit Objectives
The 2026 Summit aims to:
1. Center Survivor Voices
o Elevate lived experience as expertise
o Promote trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and intersectional approaches
2. Strengthen Prevention & Early Intervention
o Address harmful gender norms and power structures
o Highlight education-based and community-led prevention models
3. Bridge Research, Policy & Practice
o Share evidence-based programs, evaluations, and promising practices
o Strengthen collaboration across sectors
4. Advance Justice & Accountability
o Examine legal, policing, immigration, child welfare, and social systems
o Identify reforms that improve survivor safety and access to justice
5. Mobilize Partnerships & Resources
o Connect funders, institutions, and grassroots organizations
o Support sustainable, scalable GBV responses
3. Who Should Attend
The Summit welcomes participants from Canada and around the world, including:
· Survivors and survivor-led organizations
· Gender-based violence advocates and service providers
· Social workers, counselors, and frontline practitioners
· Policymakers and government officials
· Law enforcement and justice-sector professionals
· Academics, researchers, and students
· Educators and community development practitioners
· Health and public health professionals
· Indigenous, racialized, and diaspora community leaders
· Youth leaders and men & boys engagement practitioners
· Media professionals and storytellers
· Corporate leaders and CSR professionals
4. Why Attend
By attending the 2026 Summit, participants will:
· Gain practical tools and evidence-based strategies
· Learn directly from survivors and global experts
· Build cross-sector and international partnerships
· Influence policy and program development
· Contribute to collective action to end GBV
This is not just a conference — it is a movement for accountability, justice, and change.
5. Call for Speakers (Website / Submission Portal Text)
Call for Speakers – Now Open
The Centre for Social Justice Initiatives invites local, national, and international speakers to submit proposals for the International Summit on Ending Gender-Based Violence 2026.
We welcome proposals for:
· Keynote presentations
· Panel discussions
· Research and academic presentations
· Practice-based case studies
· Survivor-led sessions
· Workshops and skills-building sessions
Priority Themes Include:
· Survivor-centered and trauma-informed care
· Prevention through education and community engagement
· Engaging men and boys as allies and survivors
· Technology-facilitated violence and online safety
· GBV and migration, refugee, and immigration systems
· Indigenous, racialized, and culturally specific responses
· Human trafficking and exploitation
· Economic empowerment and GBV
· Policy reform, accountability, and justice systems
· Global South and diaspora-led initiatives
We strongly encourage submissions from survivors, grassroots organizations, and underrepresented voices.
5. Call for Sponsors & Partners
Partner With Impact
The International Summit on Ending Gender-Based Violence 2026 offers sponsors and partners a meaningful opportunity to support gender justice, survivor leadership, and global action.
Why Sponsor?
· Align your organization with a respected international GBV platform
· Demonstrate leadership in equity, inclusion, and human rights
· Engage directly with decision-makers, practitioners, and advocates
· Support survivor participation through scholarships
· Gain visibility across Summit materials, media, and digital platforms
Sponsorship Opportunities Include:
· Title & Presenting Sponsor
· Session & Panel Sponsor
· Survivor & Grassroots Scholarship Sponsor
· Exhibition & Resource Booths
· Media & Digital Visibility Packages
Customized sponsorship packages available upon request.
6.Tentative Program for The International Summit on Ending Gender-Based Violence 2026
Theme: From Global Commitments to Local Action
Dates: Day 1 & Day 2
Location: Hilton Toronto, Canada
Welcome Message
Gender-based violence remains one of the most pervasive human rights violations worldwide. Despite global commitments, survivors continue to face systemic barriers to safety, justice, and healing.
The International Summit on Ending Gender-Based Violence will brings together policymakers, practitioners, researchers, advocates, and community leaders from across the world to strengthen survivor-centered responses, advance prevention, and build accountable systems that end violence in all its forms.
This Summit is designed as a policy-to-practice convening, creating space for dialogue, learning, skill-building, and concrete commitments to action.
DAY 1 – Global Context, Systems & Accountability
Focus: Understanding GBV as a global issue, strengthening institutional accountability, and centering survivor dignity within systems.
Opening Ceremony & Global Keynote
9:00 – 10:15 AM
Session Overview
The Opening Ceremony sets the tone for the Summit by situating gender-based violence within global human rights, public health, and development frameworks.
Key Themes
· GBV as a global human rights crisis
· Economic and social costs of inaction
· The urgency of coordinated global responses
Global & National Policy Panels
10:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Session Overview
This panel examines how international commitments translate into national laws, policies, and implementation — and where gaps persist.
Key Topics
· International conventions and national GBV strategies
· Policy implementation challenges
· Funding, enforcement, and accountability
· GBV in contexts of migration, conflict, and inequality
Survivor-Centered Practice Sessions
1:00 – 2:30 PM
Session Overview
This session focuses on ethical, trauma-informed, and survivor-centered approaches to service delivery and systems design.
Key Topics
· Trauma-informed and culturally responsive practice
· Survivor autonomy and choice
· Ethical engagement and confidentiality
· Survivor leadership in program design
Justice, Policing & Institutional Accountability Panels
2:45 – 4:15 PM
Session Overview
This panel critically examines justice system responses to GBV and explores models for accountability and reform.
Key Topics
· Police and court responses to GBV
· Barriers to reporting and prosecution
· Institutional bias and survivor trust
· Legal reform and oversight mechanisms
Networking Reception
4:30 – 6:00 PM
An opportunity for participants to connect, share experiences, and build cross-sector partnerships in an informal setting.
DAY 2 – Prevention, Practice & Pathways Forward
Focus: Prevention strategies, education, applied learning, and collective action.
Prevention & Education Plenary
9:00 – 10:15 AM
Session Overview
This plenary highlights, prevention as a critical pillar in ending gender-based violence.
Key Topics
· Primary prevention approaches
· Education across the lifespan
· Community-led prevention strategies
· Addressing root causes of violence
Men, Boys & Masculinities Panels
10:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Session Overview
This panel explores the role of men and boys in preventing GBV while maintaining survivor-centered accountability.
Key Topics
· Socialization and masculinity
· Accountability and allyship
· Community-based engagement models
· Effective prevention programs
Research-to-Practice Sessions
1:00 – 2:30 PM
Session Overview
Bridging research, lived experience, and frontline practice.
Key Topics
· Evidence-based interventions
· Translating research into policy and programs
· Monitoring, evaluation, and learning
· Ethical and survivor-informed research
Workshops & Skill-Building Labs
2:45 – 4:15 PM
Session Overview
Interactive, practice-focused sessions designed to provide participants with tools they can apply immediately.
Workshop Themes May Include
· Trauma-informed facilitation
· Organizational GBV policies
· Community education program design
· Advocacy and systems change strategies
· Data, ethics, and evaluation
Closing Plenary – Commitments to Action
4:30 – 5:30 PM
Session Overview
The Summit concludes by moving from dialogue to action.
Key Components
· Reflections from key speakers
· Summary of key insights
· Participant commitments to action
· Call for continued collaboration
Summit Outcomes
Participants will:
· Deepen understanding of GBV as a global and local issue
· Strengthen cross-sector collaboration
· Gain practical tools for prevention and response
· Leave with clear commitments to action
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Hilton Toronto, 145 Richmond Street West, Toronto, Canada
CAD 374.08 to CAD 4261.39
