In order to boost awareness of the upcoming Fourth UN World Conference on Women, which Franks was to attend, she created 'What Women Want' – a two-day festival of seminars, workshops and music at the Royal Festival Hall in London. Held over the bank holiday weekend in August 1995, the event attracted almost 10,000 visitors, with "The Big Issue" devoting an entire edition to the event and the surrounding issues. The highlight of the festival was a concert on the final night hosted by the comedian Jo Brand, and featuring performances from Sinéad O'Connor, The Pretenders, Sarah Jane Morris and Zap Mama.