It was a day that radiated the spirit of sisterhood and solidarity, where stories of struggle became stories of strength and where mentorship, leadership and vision merged into a shared declaration of collective power.

Setting the tone for equality

The conference opened with a welcome from Christina Olivier, IndustriALL assistant general secretary, who paid respect to elders past and present, marking the event as the first in-person Women's Conference in six years.

"Well done to all of us,"

she said to an audience that had waited years for this moment of reconnection.

IndustriALL general secretary Atle Høie congratulated the Women's Committee and its leaders, for their tireless work in advancing gender equality. He celebrated that women now make up 43 per cent of Congress delegates, a rise from 28 per cent in Rio in 2016, a clear sign of progress, but also a call for continued commitment.

"There is no just future without women as equals in trade unions,"

he reminded the room.

"The theme 'We are all In for equality' is not just a slogan, it's a commitment to build the future of our movement together."

The women's committee co-chair Ilvana Smajlović emphasized that equality cannot be achieved without unity.

"We must show strength and solidarity,"

she said, calling on women and men to stand together in creating inclusive unions and workplaces.

IndustriALL president Marie Nilsson set the tone with a heartfelt reflection, sharing that her third grandchild, a girl, was born the day before her departure to Sydney.

"When she grows up, she will know that her grandmother stood on the barricades for her."

Her words captured the spirit of what the day; courage, connection and the fight for a just and equal world for future generations.

Fighting for gender equality in our industries, Australia leads the way

Moderated by Jackie Woods of the Mining and Energy Union (MEU), this dynamic session brought together women from construction, mining, manufacturing, healthcare and textiles. They shared stories that reflected both the persistence of barriers and the power of union organizing to overcome them.

Jenny Kruschel of the Timber Furnishing and Textiles Union (TFTU) highlighted how far women have come and how much work remains.

"Pay equity has been one of our great achievements, but we are still experiencing gaps. With the support of the Fair Work Commission, employers are now starting to accommodate the changes that make equality possible."

"In my workplace there are 10 women out of 70," said Clare Bailey from the MEU. "We need to normalise union membership and we need to normalise women being in this sector."

Stacey Schinnerl from the Australian Workers Union (AWU), reflected on her own leadership journey:

"In my union, my gender is not a thing, but it's not insignificant either. There are still men disturbed by my presence. I use that platform to advocate for women."

For Nguyệt Nguyễn from the Timber Furnishing and Textiles Union (TFTU), union membership was life-changing:

"The union made me aware of my rights and since then, I've been determined to represent workers."

Renee Portland from the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU), shared her pride in concrete progress:

"We have information sessions on PPE to make sure women are educated and equipped. The union makes that happen."

Together, the panellists painted a picture of progress powered by persistence, of mentorships, visibility and a collective demand for equality in male-dominated industries. The outlook is bright, with opportunities emerging in clean energy and STEM.

"We must ensure the policies of tomorrow are written with women in mind," one speaker said.

Organizing for a just future: power, justice and transformation

A powerful intergenerational session brought together IndustriALL's women vice-presidents Christiane Benner, Roxanne Brown, Rose Omamo and Lucineide Varjão, to explore how gender equality must shape the future of work.

From the stage, Roxanne Brown, vice president of the USW, electrified the crowd:

"1,2,3 POWER! Do you feel powerful?" she called out, as hundreds of voices echoed back. "That feeling in your gut, that's what we need to remember. That's what our global labour movement is about. That's what we have in IndustriALL."

Her words captured the day's heartbeat: the belief that when women organize, they don't just change their workplaces, they change the world.

The vice presidents spoke about just transitions, digitalization and equality as the foundation of a fair future.

Christiane Benner, IG Metall president, Germany's first woman to lead a major industrial union, spoke about transforming organizational culture.

"Gender equality is not a women's issue, it's a democracy issue," she said. "When we share power, we build stronger unions that reflect the world we live in, not the one we inherited."

From Kenya, Rose Omamo of AUKM reminded participants of the collective fight that unites men and women workers:

"We fight together, we win together. When women rise, our unions rise," she said. "Equality is not about taking power away, it's about building power together."

And from Brazil, Lucineide Varjão of CNQ-CUT highlighted the importance of representation that reaches every woman:

"In Brazil, our women's committees and collectives are how we make sure every woman, Afro-Brazilian, indigenous and working-class, is seen and heard. That's how change becomes real."

The vice presidents called for gender-transformative unions, ones that don't just include women but empower them to lead. "We are standing on the shoulders of strong women," one panellist said.

"A just future is only possible if it is equal."

Mainstreaming gender and building safe supply chains

Moderated by Tomoko Nagashima, president of UA ZENSEN, Japan's largest industrial union, the session explored how to make gender equality a cornerstone of global supply chains and industrial transitions. Representing 1.9 million workers across textiles, chemicals, energy and services, Tomoko underscored that mainstreaming gender is essential not only for equality but also for building sustainable industries and fair economies.

The session highlighted the textile, garment, dhoe and leather sector as a model for progress.

Zehra Khan of HBWWF, Pakistan, and Christina Hajagos-Clausen, IndustriALL director for the sector, presented the TGSL gender policy, which promotes equal rights, workplace safety and zero tolerance for gender-based violence and harassment (GBVH). The policy demonstrates how collective action can turn principles into practice, protecting the most vulnerable and creating pathways for women's leadership in production and negotiation.

From Türkiye, Fulya Pınar Özcan of Öz İplik İş and Heidi Lampinen of IF Metall, Sweden, shared how the Global Framework Agreement (GFA) with H&M has become a powerful tool to combat GBVH, strengthen industrial relations and ensure safe workplaces for more than a million workers in the supply chain.

Floor interventions reinforced that this work must extend across all sectors. Prihanani Boenadi of FSPMI, Indonesia, co-chair of the electronics sector, urged participants to stay vigilant: "We must keep fighting GBVH, every sector should align with the TGSL policy and apply its lessons."

Corinne Scehwin of CFE-CGC Métallurgie, France, highlighted the often unseen pressures faced by women workers:

"Women carry a heavy mental burden that limits their ability to develop their careers. We must act to reduce this load if we want true equality."

The discussion made clear that gender equality must be built into every part of the value chain, from raw materials to retail, ensuring that just transitions, human rights due diligence and industrial relations work hand in hand to deliver fairness, dignity and safety for all.

Mentoring women to build union power

The mentoring session stood out as one of the most inspiring moments of the conference, a living example of how solidarity across generations and continents can translate into real trade union power.

The session reflected the vision first set out at the 2019 Women's Conference: that when women grow through mentorship, the entire movement grows with them.

The session brought powerful testimonies from mentors and mentees who spoke about how guidance, patience and trust can transform confidence into leadership.

From Peru, Wendy Carol Carbajal Leon shared how mentorship helped her understand her rights and the meaning of unionism:

"I was beginning to understand what it means to be in a union. Mentorship helped me recognise my rights, like our achievement of 90 minutes of breastfeeding time and gave me the strength to stand up for them."

From Ghana, Agnes Ama Agamasu described how the experience redefined her role in the movement:

"I've learnt how to achieve my goals. I now stand as the youngest woman in my union and this has opened doors for young men and women alike. This programme has changed so much for me."

Joyce Maku Appiah from Ghana, reflected on the reciprocal nature of the process:

"Being a mentor gave me structure. I realized I couldn't be everything to my mentees, patience and listening are key. As a mentor, you are also mentored."

From the United States, Nicole Fears and Dee Colbert of IAMAW presented the union's LEADS mentoring programme, rooted in the principle of

"justice on the job and service to the community."

"Gender equality strengthens our labour movement. We don't just pass the torch, we light each other up."

The discussion reaffirmed that mentorship is not an act of charity but a strategy for collective empowerment. It opens doors for women to lead, builds bridges between generations and transforms individual growth into organizational strength.

A movement united in purpose

The conference concluded with the presentation of IndustriALL's draft Roadmap on gender equality for 2025-2029, which sets out clear priorities: increasing women's participation and leadership, engaging men as allies, achieving pay equity, addressing unpaid care work, eliminating gender-based violence and harassment and integrating gender-transformative approaches into human rights due diligence and just transition processes.

The roadmap outlines practical steps, awareness-raising, training, developing tools and materials, building alliances and strengthening follow-up across sectors and will serve as the foundation for the next Women's Committee to embed gender equality systematically into IndustriALL's structures, policies and Action Plan.

In her closing remarks, Ilvana Smajlović spoke with emotion and gratitude, acknowledging the courage and conviction of all who took the stage. She reflected on the day's powerful exchanges, calling it a moment of both strength and vulnerability. The tears shed, she said, were not a sign of weakness but of empathy and shared purpose. Women often put others first, but there are times when they must also put themselves first, to regain strength, to lead and to keep pulling others forward.