Our country has an incredible connection to sport. Every Australian should have the opportunity to be involved in sport – as a participant, an official, an administrator or as a volunteer.

From grassroots to the elite level, it's imperative that the sport sector increases the representation of women and girls in sport to better reflect Australian society and create a fairer and more inclusive environment.

Harnessing the full potential of women and girls in sport will create positive social and economic change, with benefits for individuals, communities, sports organisations and the broader sports industry (PricewaterhouseCoopers, 2019).

Strategies

• Advocate for equal representation at all levels including coaching and on club committees.
• Create a safe and welcoming place.
• Promote initiatives for females to the public, i.e. profile female role models, and ensure equal representation in imagery and social content.
• Provide accessible activities and facilities such as equal access to courts/pitches, female-only activities, appropriate changing rooms and toilets.
• Allow participation in flexible uniforms such as hijabs for Muslim females.
• Instigate a zero-tolerance policy towards any type of prejudice or behaviour that puts the wellbeing of women and girls at risk.
• Provide a pathway and opportunities for progression and career development.
• Emphasise and support the social aspects of sport.
• Offer alternative/modified formats.
• Ask women and girls for input and feedback.
• Deliver group activities.
• Providing activities at the right time of the day/week.
• Reduce financial barriers.
• Promote women into decision-making roles in your club.
• Create a pipeline for women contenders for committee  roles and promote gender balance in selection processes.
• Provide training opportunities to increase women’s capabilities for advancement.
• Develop policies that are gender inclusive, and that club culture promotes gender equality.
• Ensure the requirements for committee membership are free from discrimination and bias.
• Create opportunities to educate boys and men about the benefits of gender equality through sport.

Resources

• North West Sydney Football PINK Koalas all abilities team - YouTube, opens in a new tab
• A guide for action: To encourage women from culturally diverse backgrounds as leaders in sport - Victoria University, opens in a new tab
• A Cross-Sector Approach to Encourage Women as Leaders in Male-Dominated Sectors, opens in a new tab
• Factors relating to women and girls' participation (retention and dropout) in sport – Victoria University, opens in a new tab
• Towards improving the safety and wellbeing of women in sport - Resources – Victoria University, opens in a new tab
• The_effects_of_recreational_choices_and_demographic_factors_on_childrens_par.pdf
• AusPlay - Children’s Organised Out-of-school Participation - 2018
• Active After-School Communities – Clearinghouse for Sport
• Child Protection in Sport – Clearinghouse for Sport
• Sport in Education – Clearinghouse for Sport
• AusPlay - Women and Girls Participation - 2017
• Women – eSafety Commissioner, opens in a new tab
• Women In the Spotlight: How online abuse impacts women in their working lives – eSafety Commissioner, opens in a new tab
• CAS_Research_Report_-_Retaining_the_Membership_of_Women_in_Sport_final_16.1.14.pdf
• Women in Sport – Clearinghouse for Sport
• Girls Playing in Boys Teams – Play by the Rules, opens in a new tab
• Female friendly change rooms – ACT Goverment, opens in a new tab
• Uniforms that encourage girls to play sport and be physically active, opens in a new tab
• Flexible uniform policy – VicHealth, opens in a new tab
• Cricket Australia Next Innings Female Participation strategy, opens in a new tab
• ABS Children’s Participation in Cultural and Leisure Activities, Australia (2012) , opens in a new tab
• Gender equity in leadership, governance and the workplace – Clearinghouse for Sport
• Increasing Board Diversity fact sheet, opens in a new tab
• Women in men's uniform – AFL – YouTube, opens in a new tab
• Swimming Australia – Club of the Year – YouTube, opens in a new tab
• Coaching Girls Guide: How to get (and keep) girls playing – We Coach, opens in a new tab
• Women in Sport Communication and Marketing Strategies – Change Our Game, opens in a new tab
• Keeping Girls in the Games – factors that influence sport participation – Women’s Sports Foundation, opens in a new tab
• Challenging gender stereotypes through community sports: Toolkit – Women in Sport, opens in a new tab
• Women Arise: Insights to create inclusive communities for Indigenous women and people with disability video, opens in a new tab
• Muslim Women in Sport – Women In Sport, opens in a new tab
• Multicultural Female Uniform Guidelines, opens in a new tab
• When sport and culture collide: meet the young women making sport for all – ABC News, opens in a new tab
• Enabling Muslim Girls to play sport - Change Our Game, opens in a new tab

Best practice examples

WOMEN LEADERS IN SPORT

To help achieve gender equality in sport, the Australian Sports Commission established the Women Leaders in Sport (WLIS) program. The program has supported more than 26,000 women and more than 800 sport organisations to support women leaders  within sport.

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THIS GIRL CAN - VICTORIA

This Girl Can, a VicHealth initiative, is all about empowering Victorian women to enjoy being active without worrying about judgement, gender stereotypes or skill level.

READ MORE, opens in a new tab

First Nations Australians Cultural, racial and linguistically diverse communities LGBTIQ+ communities People with disability Intersectionality Women and girls