Women Shaping Narratives - International Women's Day 2026

IWD 2026 - WOMEN SHAPING NARRATIVES

Women in Media Belfast’s ‘Women Shaping Narratives’ event to mark International Women’s Day 2026 takes place in Belfast City Hall on Friday, March 6, 1-5pm.

How your day will unfold…

1pm - register, eat and drink. Hot lunch and Jawbox Gin reception. If you have any dietary or accessibility requirements please email [email protected]

2pm - 4pm - the speaking and performance bits

4-5pm - chill out, have another Jaxbox cocktail, catch up and/or make new contacts and friends.

THE LINE UP

PANEL SPEAKERS AND PERFORMERS

WHAT AFGHAN AND IRANIAN WOMEN WANT

Sufi whirling dancers Fahima Mirzaie & Anna Rüya Ayyildiz accompanied by harpist Joanne Cassidy. Also Elisa Schroth and Behnaz Mafakheri.

WOMEN AND AI

Cheryl Brownlee MLA (DUP - East Antrim), Cara Hunter MLA (SDLP - East Derry) and Kate Nicholl MLA (Alliance Party - South Belfast), will be talking about AI, deep fakes, and online safety.

WOMEN’S HEALTH

Sarah Rose McCann, Laurene Agnew and Katie Watson will be talking about women’s health.

Sarah Rose McCann is a health journalist and endometriosis campaigner based in Belfast. After a decade of debilitating pain she discovered on Instagram she had the symptoms of endometriosis, and has made it her mission to raise awareness and share the stories of others who are struggling to access a diagnosis or healthcare. In March 2025, her national award nominated Endo the Battle campaign led her to Westminster where she facilitated a discussion on the challenges patients faced throughout the UK with parliamentary ministers. Her passions include advocating for informed consent, debunking the myth that endometriosis is a menstrual disease and ensuring patients voices are at the heart of change.’

Endo campaigner, fitness fan, and mum of two Laurene Agnew’s journey with endometriosis began when she was just 13 years old. For a decade she lived with debilitating abdominal pain, seeing countless doctors, undergoing investigative surgery, and being told more than once that the pain was in her head. It wasn’t until she was 23 that she was finally diagnosed with Stage IV endometriosis. A diagnosis didn’t bring relief straight away. She continued to struggle and has now had nine surgeries in total.

PODIUM SPEAKERS

Carleen Hughes is VP of Marketing at Kainos, working globally to help drive growth for one of Northern Ireland’s leading technology companies. Based in Belfast, she brings extensive experience in senior leadership within the tech sector. Carleen is a co-founder of Kainos’ Employee Network for Women, established to support and champion women across the organisation. Passionate about inclusive leadership and career progression, she is a strong advocate for empowering women in business and creating cultures where everyone can thrive.

Nicole O’Connor is a portfolio careerist, former educator, and "community villager" dedicated to reclaiming the human voice in a digital world. As the co-founder of Digi Know This, she works with schools and community groups to navigate the tech landscape with confidence and empathy. Nicole balances her corporate roles as Adobe’s Education Community Lead for Europe and an Apple Professional Learning Specialist with her grassroots leadership as Vice-Chair of East Belfast GAA and a Network Leader for WomenEd NI. Her work focuses on the "human rhythm" of technology - advocating that digital advancement matches a collective commitment to inclusion and safety.

Anne Hailes is an Irish News columnist and outgoing char of NUJ Belfast & District Branch.

EVENT TEAM

Your event team on the day includes: Niamh Costello; Patricia MacBride; Amanda Ferguson; freelance journalist Shonagh Gill; and BMC student photographers Leagh Donaghy and Katelyn Mallard.

ANY QUESTIONS?

Email [email protected] or use the contact form on our website to get in touch.

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Host or Publisher Women in Media Belfast