Women’s political leadership, press freedom and the relationship between caste and patriarchy will be among the central themes of the South Asia Union Summit 2026, a free virtual gathering organised by independent, women-led newsroom eShe.
Scheduled for 13–15 November under the theme “Gender, Power, Resistance”, the summit will bring together journalists, activists, filmmakers, researchers and technology leaders from South Asia and its global diaspora. The programme includes three keynote addresses and nine panel discussions.
Free registration is now open, with one registration covering all three days.
The second edition builds on the inaugural summit in 2021, which brought together 50 women from 13 countries to discuss peace, gender equality and social justice. This year’s discussions expand that agenda to include artificial intelligence, digital activism, women-led political movements and bodily autonomy.
Democracy, belonging and technology
The opening day will examine nationalism, migration and minority rights, asking who is included — and excluded — when nations define who belongs. Public historian Dr Ruchika Sharma is among the speakers.
A second discussion will explore how artificial intelligence and digital technologies can reproduce inequalities based on gender, caste, class and race. Participants include Women in Cloud co-founder Chaitra Vedullapalli and AnitaB.org India managing director Shreya Krishnan.
The keynote speakers across the three days are Equality Now global executive director and CEO S. Mona Sinha; Maldivian governance leader and former diplomat Dr Aishath Rafiyya; and Bhutanese politician, diplomat and author Lily Wangchuk, the first woman to lead a political party in Bhutan.
Journalism, cinema and bodily autonomy
The second day turns to women’s authorship in cinema, censorship and the politics of bodily autonomy.
Filmmakers Shazia Iqbal, Anam Abbas and Sulochana Peiris will discuss how women challenge the hierarchies and conventions of the film industry.
Kashmir Times managing editor Anuradha Bhasin, Zan Times founding editor-in-chief Zahra Nader and international correspondent Niha Masih will address censorship and propaganda, examining the pressures that shape what audiences can read, watch and hear.
Human rights lawyer Farah Ahamed, filmmaker and feminist artist Paromita Vohra, and obstetrician and gynaecologist Dr Sameena Rahman will explore gender, sexuality and control over women’s bodies.
Youth movements, climate and caste
The final day will focus on young women’s political activism, climate justice and the changing forms of feminist organising online.
Environmental justice advocates Manshi Asher, Monira Sharmin, Goma Karki and Melani Gunathilaka will discuss the unequal burdens of climate change and development.
The closing panel will examine how caste and patriarchy reinforce one another, featuring author and activist Christina Dhanuja, cultural organiser Divya Kandukuri and Dalit Lives Matter co-founder Bridhika Senchury.
How to attend from Australia
The panels are free to attend live on Zoom. The published programme specifies that keynote Zoom access is by invitation only, with keynote talks broadcast on eShe’s Facebook page.
Australian audiences should check the calendar dates carefully. In Melbourne and Sydney, the opening keynote begins at midnight at the start of Saturday 14 November, followed by panels at 1am and 3am AEDT. The second day begins at 10pm AEDT on Saturday 14 November, and the final day at 9.30pm AEDT on Sunday 15 November, with sessions continuing into the following mornings.
For audiences in India, the programme begins at 6.30pm IST on Friday 13 November, 4.30pm IST on Saturday 14 November and 4pm IST on Sunday 15 November.
Registered participants who attend sessions on all three days will receive a digital Certificate of Participation, according to the organisers.
Founded in 2017 by Indian journalist Aekta Kapoor, eShe produces public-interest journalism focused on women, the South Asian diaspora and gender-diverse communities.
Registration and programme
- Register free for the summit
- View the full programme and session times
- Follow eShe’s Facebook broadcasts
Source: eShe’s press release dated 2 November 2026 and accompanying media kit; attendance arrangements and programme checked against the summit website on 5 November 2026.
