Cross cutting priorities, looking ahead and conclusions

Several themes cut across all discussions.

Narrative and social materiality

A clear macro narrative on equality, grounded in economic, security and societal value, is needed alongside tailored narratives for different audiences. Participants discussed the need to strengthen common language around concepts such as social materiality so that governments can embed inclusion in policy and budgeting, and private actors can incorporate inclusion into investment decision making.

Risk and impact frameworks

Participants called for broader definitions of material risk that include GBV, civic space erosion, political instability and norm change. This included interest in learning from how climate risk frameworks achieved traction and considering analogous approaches for social and equality risks.

Data and translation

Evidence must be credible, ethical and usable, supported by communication and interpretation that resonate with decision makers. Participants noted that packaging and translation are often missing, even where evidence exists.

Operating across the finance ecosystem

Participants highlighted the different leverage points and opportunities they had to transform the financial system. They also noted the need to democratise decision-making and diversify the actors and voices exerting influence. 

Coordination and follow up

Structured collaboration, clear roles and shared milestones were identified as essential to avoid fragmentation. Participants discussed mapping who is doing what, identifying missing capabilities (including communications), and creating regular touchpoints to sustain momentum.

Indicative action points raised during the convening

• Participants suggested a small set of practical actions that could improve coherence and enable follow-through:
• Develop a shared glossary of key terms and working definitions (for example social materiality, catalytic capital, outcomes-based approaches) to reduce jargon barriers and support more consistent engagement across stakeholders.
• Develop a light typology or taxonomy of approaches that clarifies what different instruments are designed to do (mobilise additional capital, improve effectiveness of existing spend, or shape decision rules), and where each is most appropriate.
• Develop a short roadmap or action plan that sequences near-term priorities and identifies ownership across the ecosystem, supported by structured follow-up convenings to maintain momentum.
• Develop a compendium of tools to enable financial decision-making by a range of actors.
• Establish a simple coordination mechanism to map who is doing what, identify gaps (including communications and translation capacity), and reduce fragmentation.

Participants identified several questions to guide future collaboration:

• What is the shared “north star” that can unify action without flattening diversity?
• How can financial systems be reshaped to value inclusion as a core outcome?
• Which risks matter most, and who defines them?
• How can scarce public resources be used catalytically and protected for what markets will not fund?
• How do we ensure that new financing approaches strengthen rather than fragment movements?
• Who was not part of this convening and should have been, e.g. private sector actors and investors?

Participants also drew an important distinction between being financed and using finance. Discussions highlighted that strengthening movements requires not only access to funding, but also the ability to shape how financial systems, incentives and decision rules operate, including in contexts where capital does not flow directly to civil society.

The conference affirmed that advancing gender equality and wider equalities through finance is less about the financial instruments we use and more about reshaping systems to put inclusion at their heart. Progress depends on shifting narratives, incentives, power and accountability across public and private finance.

Participants emphasised that durable change will require inclusive ecosystems, principled pragmatism, and sustained collaboration across movements, governments, finance institutions and philanthropy. A practical implication is that follow-up should focus on complementary roles and shared milestones, rather than a single new instrument or platform.

This convening marked a step towards that shared understanding and set the stage for continued joint work.

David Imbago-Jacome

Wilton Park | April 2026