United Women Conference 2026

October 2, 2026

The United Women Conference at UWC Maastricht brought together students, speakers and members of our wider community to share perspectives, reflect on female empowerment and explore the role each of us can play in creating more opportunities for women.

Our students were at the heart of this year’s conference, sharing personal stories and performances shaped by their experiences around the world. Alongside them, Fidan Ekiz and UWC Maastricht teacher Ruth Okapi reflected on finding your own path and the influence we can have on the people around us. That question of influence also ran through the panel discussion, where Nawal Oulad Abdelkrim, Cor Vrieswijk and Amber Rustenberg explored what each of us can do to create more opportunities for women and help remove barriers.

Together, these contributions made for an afternoon centred on listening, exchanging perspectives and considering how individual actions can contribute to wider change.

At UWC Maastricht, female empowerment matters to us. At a time when equal opportunities cannot be taken for granted, we believe it is important to create space for women’s voices, experiences and perspectives. The United Women Conference is one of the ways we do this, while also raising awareness and support for our Female Empowerment Project. Through this project, we help girls and young women from war-affected countries and post-conflict regions access a UWC education at UWC Maastricht. Learn more about the Female Empowerment Project and discover how you can become part of the network

Partners supporting the project

The impact of the conference continues thanks in part to entrepreneurs and partners who are supporting the Female Empowerment Project. Champagne Courtier kindly sponsored the welcome drink at the conference, and their support continues. When you place an order using the code UWC, the profit from those orders will be donated to the Female Empowerment Project. Ana Qaouia is also supporting the project through her suit collection. Use the code WelcomeAQ10 to receive a discount. And lastly, Sam Sioua, founder of HERRIE, is offering the United Women community a special discount. Use voucher code women10 when ordering!

More info

For questions or to learn more about getting involved, contact the UWC Maastricht Advancement Team at advancement@uwcmaastricht.nl.