✦ Official UN HLPF 2026 Approved Side Event ✦
High-Level Political Forum  ·  July 2026

A formally approved United Nations side event bringing together global leaders, innovators, and community builders to confront the most urgent question facing SDG progress.

DateJuly 2026 · TBC
FormatVirtual · Free
Duration75 Minutes
LocationUN · New York
UN-Approved Side Event
2030 Agenda Aligned
Global Digital Compact
Pact of the Future
5 Global Regions
Open to All HLPF Participants

About This Event

Where Vision
Meets Resolve.

"AI is not a tool. It is social infrastructure — and without it, the 2030 Agenda cannot be achieved."

With less than four years remaining, SDG progress is stalled not by resource gaps alone — but by a structural failure: the absence of integrated systems combining technological access, human readiness, and cross-sector coordination.

This officially approved UN HLPF 2026 side event presents a living, multi-stakeholder model — already in motion across North America, Latin America, Europe, the Arab region, and Africa. It is not a theoretical discussion. It is a direct and practical response to one of the most persistent structural gaps in current SDG implementation.

With Special Focus On
SDG 3 — Health SDG 4 — Education SDG 7 — Energy SDG 9 — Innovation SDG 11 — Sustainable Cities SDG 16 — Peace & Justice SDG 17 — Partnerships
5
Global Regions
17
SDGs in Scope
<4
Years to 2030
2026
HLPF · New York

Program & Speakers

Voices Shaping
the 2030 Agenda.

H.E. Prof. Dr. Khaled Hanafy
★   Opening Keynote Spotlight
H.E. Prof. Dr. Khaled Hanafy
Secretary General, Union of Arab Chambers
Former Minister of Internal Trade & Industry, Egypt · Global

A globally recognized leader at the intersection of commerce, diplomacy, and sustainable development. His keynote will frame the human infrastructure gap — the structural failure at the heart of stalled SDG progress — and set the tone for all that follows.

SDG 17Global Digital Compact
uac-org.org →
Panel 1
Human Infrastructure & the 2030 Agenda
Education · Gender Equity · Health, Wellbeing & Social Integration
Frauke Barfues
Panel 1 Speaker
Frauke Barfues
Energy Engineer & Inclusion Expert · VEER · Germany / Europe

Energy systems innovator focused on clean energy access as a driver of inclusive development — exploring how infrastructure equity determines who participates in the digital economy and who gets left out.

SDG 7 · SDG 11 Website coming soon →
Dr. Matilda Kerry
Panel 1 Speaker
Dr. Matilda Kerry
Founder & Public Health Physician · George Kerry Life Foundation · Nigeria

Consultant Public Health Physician and Mandela Washington Fellow who has led health education initiatives reaching 100,000+ families. A leading voice on women's health, health equity, and the human infrastructure required for SDG progress.

Yvonne Watson
Panel 1 Speaker
Yvonne Watson
Vice Provost, Global Academic Strategies & Partnerships · Parsons School of Design, The New School · USA

Senior academic leader shaping the future of global design education and AI literacy. Her work bridges institutional learning systems with the Global Digital Compact — building the educational infrastructure that SDG progress requires.

SDG 4 · Global Digital Compact LinkedIn →
Issaiah Guzmán Arancibia
■ Youth Spotlight — Between Panels
Issaiah Guzmán Arancibia
SDG 16 Latin America & Caribbean Focal Point · Children and Youth Major Group (MGCY)

A 15-year-old Chilean author and youth activist focused on justice, children's rights, and meaningful participation. Author of "The Reality of Prison" — based on research conducted within the Chilean prison system. The youngest person to address the Chilean Supreme Court and a four-time UN interventionist, Issaiah brings a generational voice to global discussions where youth perspectives are too often absent.

SDG 4SDG 8SDG 16
issaiahguzmanarancibia.com →
Panel 2
Systems Readiness — AI as Social Infrastructure
Innovation · Clean Energy · Partnerships & Digital Governance
AC
Panel 2 Speaker
H.E. Dr. Agnes Chimbiri-Molande
Ambassador & Permanent Representative of Malawi to the United Nations · Malawi / Africa

A distinguished diplomat and global governance leader bringing the African Union voice to the conversation on AI, partnership, and accountability. Her presence connects the global policy framework to the lived reality of communities the SDGs are designed to reach.

SDG 16 · SDG 17 · Governance Website coming soon →
George M. Tsiatis
Panel 2 Speaker
George M. Tsiatis
CEO & Co-Founder · The Resolution Project · USA

Social entrepreneurship leader building systems that identify and invest in young change-makers globally. The Resolution Project's model — backing leaders before they have credentials — embodies the human infrastructure approach this event champions.

SDG 9 · Innovation & Applied AI Website coming soon →
Dr. Najoua Zhar
Panel 2 Speaker
Dr. Najoua Zhar
Economic Advisor & Sustainable Development Expert · Union of Arab Chambers · Arab Region

ESG integration, digital transformation, and climate entrepreneurship specialist at the intersection of regional policy and global development. Research Associate at the American University of Beirut, advancing inclusive economic growth across the Arab region.

SDG 17 · Digital Governance uac-org.org →
Vidya Dwarakanath
■ Closing · Reflection & Call to Action
Vidya Dwarakanath
Founder, Rooted in the Work · Youth-Led Organizer & Restorative Strategist · USA

Rooted in the Work is built around a simple idea: relationships generate revenue, revenue creates reinvestment, and reinvestment expands access. Working with communities impacted by incarceration, poverty, and systemic exclusion, Vidya's question is not how we build better technology — it is how we build the human infrastructure that allows more people to benefit from it.

SDG 16Closing
rootedinthework.com →

Facilitators

MC, Moderators
& Executive Producer.

Dr. Marty K. Casey
MC & Opening Reflections
Dr. Marty K. Casey
Founder, UnGUN · Trauma-Informed Leader & Peacebuilder · USA

A healer, artist, and system-builder who has spent decades proving that healing is the infrastructure everything else is built on. Holds the room for Panel 1 with a rare combination of authority and humanity.

TeHsing Niu
Panel 1 Moderator
TeHsing Niu, CPA
Co-Founder · MoneyTact.AI · Financial Literacy & Gender Equity · USA

CPA and financial services executive with expertise in hedge fund operations. TeHsing translates complex financial structures into actionable, equity-centered guidance — with a deep commitment to empowerment and sustainable financial well-being.

Grace Kistner
Panel 2 Moderator
Grace Kistner, RN, CCRN
Board of Directors & Chair, UN Committee · SONSIEL · USA

Board-certified Critical Care nurse and global health leader, cross-sector credentialed across four continents. Grace advances Health-In-All-Policy and has facilitated bilateral exchanges and advocacy with UN-affiliated organizations worldwide.

Judi Snell
Host and Facilitator
Judi Snell
CEO, WOYA  &  Mommentis Consultants  ·  Founder, CAiG  ·  New York

Judi Snell is an Economist and Collaborative AI Advocate, and the Founder of WOYA, a New York–based nonprofit advancing AI-powered small-business development, financial equity, and mental-wellness innovation in underserved communities. She is also the CEO of Mommentis Consultants, driving small business training, AI adoption, and innovation. She leads the Collaborative AI Group (CAiG) and has contributed to Social Watch's UN MDG Country Reports and ECOWAS sustainable-development frameworks. In September 2025, she participated in the historic UN Launch of the Global Dialogue on AI Governance — established to shape inclusive and human-centered approaches to emerging technologies.

AI GovernanceSmall Business InnovationHuman-Centered Systems
woyacentral.org → woyacentral.com → caig.woyacentral.com →

Agenda

75 Minutes.
Zero Wasted Time.

A tightly produced program moving from context to action — with no filler, no padding, and no wasted seat at the table.

0:00
■ AI Reel · 22 seconds
The Human Thread — Chapter 1: The Friction
Pre-produced opening reel setting the frame for the session
0:01
Welcome & Opening Remarks
Setting the Stage
WOYA × CAiG Host Team  ·  MC: Dr. Marty K. Casey
0:05
Opening Keynote · 10 min
The Human Infrastructure Gap
H.E. Prof. Dr. Khaled Hanafy — Secretary General, Union of Arab Chambers
0:15
■ AI Reel + Panel 1 · 25 min
Human Infrastructure & the 2030 Agenda
Frauke Barfues  ·  Dr. Matilda Kerry  ·  Yvonne Watson
Moderator: TeHsing Niu
0:40
■ Youth Spotlight · 4 min
The Next Generation Has the Floor
Issaiah Guzmán Arancibia — SDG 16 LATAM & Caribbean Focal Point
0:44
■ AI Reel + Panel 2 · 22 min
Systems Readiness: AI as Social Infrastructure
H.E. Dr. Agnes Chimbiri-Molande  ·  George M. Tsiatis  ·  Dr. Najoua Zhar
Moderator: Grace Kistner, RN
1:06
■ AI Reel + Closing · 9 min
Synthesis · Collective Commitments · Call to Action
Vidya Dwarakanath  ·  Closing Reflection: Judith Snell
This Is Your Invitation

Be in the Room
Where It Happens.

HLPF 2026 is open to all — delegates, CSO representatives, academics, practitioners, and global advocates.

This is a formally approved United Nations side event. Registration is free. Your seat at this table is waiting.

Official UN HLPF 2026 · July 2026 · Date TBC · Virtual

Partners & Coalition

Built on Coalition.

A growing coalition of organizations across 5 regions committed to multi-stakeholder action on the 2030 Agenda.

Co-organize, sponsor, or amplify — organizations from 5 regions driving the 2030 Agenda forward.

Presenting Organizations & Partners

The Coalition
Behind This Event.

Lead Organizer
Women & Youth Advancement (WOYA)

A UN-accredited NGO advancing equity, AI literacy, non-clinical mental wellness, and human-centered community building across North America, Africa, and beyond. WOYA drives integrated solutions with a throughline of AI adoption and small business empowerment.

woyacentral.org woyacentral.com
Lead Organizer
Collaborative AI Group (CAiG)

A women-led movement co-shaping AI governance, building inclusive AI products, and advancing equitable AI policy globally. CAiG positions women as architects — not afterthoughts — of the AI era, and serves as the policy and advocacy arm of the WOYA ecosystem.

caig.woyacentral.com
Co-Organizing Partner
Union of Arab Chambers (UAC)

"The Union of Arab Chambers removes barriers to economic participation by connecting businesses, chambers, and policymakers across the Arab region, enabling inclusive growth, innovation, and cross-border partnerships."

uac-org.org
Co-Organizing Partner
SONSIEL

Society of Nurse Scientists, Innovators, Entrepreneurs & Leaders. Advancing nursing innovation at the intersection of healthcare, technology, and global policy — with UN-level representation and cross-sector advocacy worldwide.

sonsiel.org
Co-Organizing Partner
George Kerry Life Foundation

A Nigerian nonprofit advancing equitable healthcare access for women and underserved communities. Led by Dr. Matilda Kerry, the Foundation has reached more than 100,000 families through health education, cancer screening, and community engagement.

georgekerrylifefoundation.org

From the Coalition

Voices Shaping
the Conversation.

Coalition partners are drafting thought pieces on AI, human infrastructure, and the 2030 Agenda. Each piece will be released on LinkedIn — follow the conversation as it unfolds.

WOYA
AI-Powered Community Building: What the SDGs Actually Need From Us Now

How women-led organizations are closing the gap between global policy and community-level AI adoption — and why human infrastructure is the missing link in SDG implementation.

Judith Snell · WOYA Read on LinkedIn →
CAiG
Women as Architects of AI Governance: A Framework for Inclusive Policy

The decisions being made about AI governance right now will shape the next century. CAiG makes the case for why women must be at the table — not as observers, but as architects.

Collaborative AI Group (CAiG) Read on LinkedIn →
UAC
Digital Infrastructure as Economic Infrastructure: The Arab Region's Opportunity

How the Union of Arab Chambers is positioning digital transformation and AI readiness as the next frontier of regional economic integration and SDG partnership.

Union of Arab Chambers Read on LinkedIn →
SONSIEL
Nursing at the Intersection of AI and Global Health: A Call to Action

Nurse scientists and innovators are uniquely positioned to build the human infrastructure that AI-enabled healthcare requires. SONSIEL's perspective on what SDG 3 demands of us now.

GKLF
100,000 Families and Counting: What Health Equity Looks Like on the Ground

The George Kerry Life Foundation on how community-led health education is the foundation that technology cannot replace — and what AI must be built on top of, not instead of.

Dr. Matilda Kerry · GKLF Read on LinkedIn →
Mommentis
Small Business in the Age of AI: Beyond the Barrier

From the Founders Masterclass Series: how small business owners are navigating the AI transition, what infrastructure they need to succeed, and what "efficiency" actually means for the entrepreneur on the ground.

Judith Snell · Mommentis Consultants Read on LinkedIn →

Articles release progressively — follow each organization on LinkedIn for updates

Follow Judi Snell on LinkedIn

About Us

The Organizations
Behind the Movement.

Women & Youth Advancement Inc.

Founded by Judith Snell, WOYA is a UN-accredited NGO and the connective thread across a growing ecosystem of change. Our throughline is AI adoption, small business training and launch, driving efficiency, and building compassionate, non-judgmental spaces for motivation and community. We operate across North America, Africa, Latin America, and the Arab region — bridging the gap between policy and people, and between the promise of technology and the humans who need to use it.

Collaborative AI Group

The Collaborative AI Group is a women-led movement co-shaping AI governance, building inclusive AI products, and creating networks of women who understand that the decisions being made about AI right now will define the next century. Incubated by WOYA, CAiG is the policy, advocacy, and community intelligence arm of the WOYA ecosystem — and a formal actor in international AI governance spaces. We are learning, growing, and building — with humans at the center of every process.

Past Events

WOYA at the
Global Stage.

From Doha to Seville to New York, WOYA has consistently brought multi-stakeholder, human-centered solutions to the world's most important policy conversations.

WOYA Delegates at WSSD2 Doha 2025
WOYA Delegates · WSSD2 Doha 2025
WOYA on the ground at the Second World Summit for Social Development, November 2025, Doha, Qatar.
WSSD2 Doha 2025
WSSD2 · Doha 2025
November 2025 · Doha, Qatar
Second World Summit for Social Development

WOYA led a Solutions Session convening a global coalition on gender-aligned collaborative AI and systemic solutions for resilient economies and inclusive justice. Livestreamed across four continents.

FFD4 Seville 2025
FFD4 · Seville 2025
July 2025 · Seville, Spain
International Conference on Financing for Development (FFD4)

WOYA presented at FFD4 on blueprints for financial resilience and rewiring the economics of inclusion through gender-aligned collaborative AI and systemic solutions.

UN Summit of the Future 2024
UN Summit of the Future · 2024
September 2024 · United Nations, New York
UN Summit of the Future — Action Days Virtual Side Event

WOYA convened the Coalition for Change in a live dialogue on collaborative AI, multi-stakeholder accountability, and building the systems the 2030 Agenda requires.

UN AI Governance Dialogue 2025
UN AI Governance · 2025
September 2025 · United Nations, New York
UN Launch of the Global Dialogue on AI Governance

Judi Snell participated in the historic UN Launch of the Global Dialogue on AI Governance — convened by the UN Secretary-General to shape inclusive and human-centered approaches to emerging technologies globally.

© 2026 Women & Youth Advancement Inc. (WOYA) · All rights reserved. Official UN HLPF 2026 Side Event