Ahead of the 2026 Commonwealth Women’s Forum (CWF), Antigua and Barbuda-based non-profit organisation Integrated Health Outreach (IHO) has officially announced the launch of “One Last Thread”, an open call for creative submissions, inviting women across all 56 Commonwealth nations to submit original poetry, short prose, and spoken word recordings reflecting their lived realities in relation to the Forum’s official theme: Advancing Gender Equality: Investment in a Prosperous and Resilient Commonwealth.
Running alongside IHO’s ongoing Civil Society Pre-Convening Meeting Series ahead of the CWF, this creative advocacy campaign offers an accessible platform for women worldwide to directly influence the CWF’s social conscience and the wider week of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).
IHO Executive Director, Dr Nicola Bird, states: “Prosperity and resilience cannot be measured only by data points and financial metrics. Vibrant grassroots participation is indispensable. And listening to the perspectives of women and girls is what should inform policymakers whether their actions are having an impact or not, and what needs to change.” The Executive Director added, “Through One Last Thread we are providing a global megaphone for the authentic and unedited realities of women across the Commonwealth as one more way of trying to ensure that all of us, from government, to civil society, to the business sector, to international organisations, remember that real people are counting on us to use platforms like CHOGM to achieve something tangible and meaningful, and not just empty talk.”
Submission Requirements
IHO accepts submissions in three (3) written and oral formats, as noted below. Submissions must be presented in English and strictly adhere to the following artistic limits:
Poetry: Up to 30 lines
Short Prose: Up to 400 words
Spoken Word: Up to 2 minutes (video or audio, video is strongly encouraged)
Rather than remaining solely a social media campaign, selected submissions will be showcased by IHO on its social media, its website and at associated events during CHOGM week as delegates pour into Antigua for the 28th CHOGM. Submissions must be completed and emailed to info@ihoab.com before the deadline on October 30, 2026, at 11:59 PM Atlantic Standard Time (AST). Further guidance is available online at IHO’s website at this link: www.ihoab.com/chogm-2026. Women residing anywhere within the 56 Commonwealth countries can read the detailed guidelines and submit their files directly by visiting the IHO CHOGM Campaign Page.
The Commonwealth Women’s Forum (CWF) is one of several official stakeholder gatherings held alongside the biennial Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). The 2026 CHOGM is happening in Antigua and Barbuda, and so too is the 2026 Women’s Forum. Within the Commonwealth, advancing women’s rights is not merely a social goal but a foundational pillar for sustainable development and democratic resilience. With women and girls making up more than half of the Commonwealth’s 2.7 billion citizens, addressing pervasive challenges such as gender-based violence, economic marginalisation, and systemic inequality requires robust, targeted cooperation between government and civil society.
Integrated Health Outreach (IHO) is a non-profit organisation dedicated to gender, climate, and health justice, working to empower vulnerable populations, promote human rights, and ensure that the voices of grassroots civil society are integrated into national and international policy frameworks. IHO is proudly supported by Equality Fund and Global Affairs Canada.
This article was originally published by Antigua News Room. Read the original article here: IHO Launches "One Last Thread" Global Creative Call to Amplify Women’s Voices Ahead of CHOGM 2026.