06 OUTCOMES Rights-based advocacy and self-representation centred The conference put “Nothing for us without us” into practice. Safe spaces enabled honest language, emotional expression, and discussion of urgency, power and accountability. Participants stressed that lived as well as learned experience must be central to advocacy, research and innovation – as leadership, and not just consultation. Narrative, media and self-representation were recognised as essential complements to legal and policy work in shifting public and political discourse. Diverse roles, including as speakers, agenda-setters, facilitators and artists, were held by conference participants with lived experience, and the diversity of formats, including storytelling and artistic performances were seen as moments of recognition. This demonstrates, especially to partners and donors, how intentional conference design can provide spaces for sustainable leadership and movementbuilding, moving beyond ‘engagement’ or ‘consultation’. “Many voices speaking, many ears listening — I felt safe to share difficult experiences.”