Why are we hosting this conference?
Across the world, trans and gender diverse communities are facing escalating attacks, including anti-gender opposition, democratic backsliding, shrinking civic space, misinformation, violence, and restrictions on access to health, legal recognition, safety, and basic rights. At the same time, trans-led movements continue to build powerful solutions, defend democracy, advance gender justice, and create new models of care, solidarity, and resistance.
The attacks on trans movements are global, coordinated, and well-resourced. Our response must be too. In Panamá, ITF and GATE will bring together trans and gender diverse activists from across the world to collaborate and define what comes next on our own terms.
Broden Giambrone, ITF Executive Director
Present and Powerful Global Trans Conference 2027 will gather 250 trans and gender diverse activists and stakeholders from around the world for peer learning, strategy-building, advocacy alignment, and collective care. The Conference will include interactive and participatory spaces, panels, workshops, skill-building sessions, strategy conversations, and creative formats led by and for trans and gender diverse movements.
This conference is an affirmation that we are not only here and visible in this critical historical moment, but also organized, strategic and building sustainable movements that cannot be erased!
Erika Castellanos, GATE Executive Director
This Conference will build on the momentum of Unite! Advocate! Thrive! Global Trans Conference 2024 and create space for global trans and gender diverse movements to deepen solidarity, analyze current threats and opportunities, and develop coordinated advocacy and movement-building strategies.
What is the aim of the Global Trans Conference?
This is a strategic platform for trans and gender diverse-led organizations to network, share knowledge and tools, and align advocacy strategies to consolidate a coordinated global response to the erosion of our communities’ rights. GATE and ITF seek to address the health disparities, human rights violations and trans and gender diverse movement challenges, including the growing anti-gender movement.
The main goals of the conference are to:
- Strengthen the global trans and gender diverse movement through mutual learning, relationship building, solidarity, and spaces for re-energizing activists working in challenging contexts.
- Analyze the current context and opportunities, including anti-gender opposition, anti-democratic backsliding, shrinking civic space, and other emerging challenges to equality agendas.
- Develop global trans and gender diverse advocacy priorities and response strategies, including practical tools, innovative solutions, coordinated advocacy plans, and commitments toward a renewed global roadmap.
What should you expect?
Present and Powerful Global Trans Conference 2027 is a critically needed opportunity for trans and gender diverse activists from around the world to convene and have in-depth discussions. It builds directly on the momentum, outcomes and strategic direction established during the 2024 Global Trans Conference, Unite! Advocate! Thrive!
The program will include a full-day donor pre-conference, followed by a 2-day main conference. The outcomes of the Conference focus on mapping priorities, consolidating action, fostering innovation and shaping the strategy of the global trans movement. To support engagement, the conference will use Wordly AI to ensure all sessions are interpreted and captioned for multilingual accessibility and inclusion.
Conference tracks will include the following:
- Track A: Human Rights in Times of Anti-Gender Opposition and Democratic Backsliding. Focused on the political, legal, and social conditions affecting trans and gender diverse movements, examining strategies to respond to anti-rights attacks and build collective power.
- Track B: Resourcing Equality Movements and Agendas. Focused on how trans and gender diverse movements can be sustained, resourced, protected, and strengthened in a time of funding decline and increasing political pressure
- Track C: Right to Health and Well-Being. Focused on the health, safety, dignity, and collective well-being of trans and gender diverse people and movements.
Sponsor the conference!
Do you wish to become a sponsor of the conference? All support is welcome!
Contact us at sponsorship@gate.ngo to discuss sponsorship options.
Apply to attend the conference
Applications for scholarship and self-paid registrations will open on 1 September 2026. We are unable to respond to any questions or queries until then. All registrations and scholarships will be addressed solely via the established channels when they open in late 2026.
About the Organizers
Global Action for Trans Equality (GATE) works to advance global justice for trans and gender diverse communities. Our vision is a future where trans and gender diverse communities live freely, safely and with dignity. We are community-led and community-centered, working with integrity and innovation to create opportunities for shared learning and resource equity to advance global solidarity across borders and movements.
International Trans Fund (ITF) is a global, trans-led nonprofit grantmaking organization that supports trans-led groups and movements around the world. Its mission is to provide funding and resources to strengthen trans communities, advocacy, human rights work, and movement-building efforts.