The CAMH womenmind™ Conference returns in 2026!
Building on the momentum of the inaugural womenmind conference titled “Advancing Research on Women’s Mental Health”, this upcoming conference will focus on Women's Mental Health Across the Lifespan: from Research to Action.
Women, girls, and gender-diverse individuals are disproportionately affected by mental illness and face a greater overall disease burden, spending 24% more of their lives in poorer health than men in Canada . Despite this, less than 7% of research funding in Canada over the past 15 years was directed towards women's health, and only 4.5% of this funding focuses on the top 11 global burdens affecting women. Women’s mental health research - including depression, anxiety, and Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias - receive only 0.58% of that funding despite being among the leading contributors to disease burden in women². Of the total mental health funding, funding focused on unique characteristics of girls and women’s experiences or biology receives just 1% of that funding in Canada.
The womenmind Conference brings together an international and interdisciplinary community of researchers, clinicians, trainees, advocates, funders, industry partners and people with lived experience to examine how biological and social experiences across the lifespan can shape women’s health outcomes.
Through collaboration and knowledge exchange, the conference aims to strengthen the evidence base, support emerging research, and provide an inclusive platform that amplifies diverse voices to help accelerate progress toward more timely, effective and equitable care.
Trainees
Want to showcase your research in mental health or addictions for women, girls or gender-diverse people? We welcome you to submit an abstract for a poster presentation at this year’s womenmind conference.
All abstracts will be reviewed for content and suitability for this conference. Applicants may be invited to participate in a short presentation of their research as part of the conference program. Priority will be given to research specific to women’s mental health and addictions but research in sex and gender in mental health and addictions will also be considered.
There is an opportunity to apply for a travel awards and Young Investigator award as part of the abstract submission.
Click here to submit your abstract. Deadline is April 24th, 2026. Notice of award in late May.
Sponsorship Opportunities
Want to contribute to this impactful conference to advance women's health across the lifespan? Email partnerships@camh.ca for sponsorship opportunities.
Stay tuned for program updates, registration dates, abstract submissions, and travel award applications. For questions, please contact Jena Roy.
