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BIRMINGHAM, UK / RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL  – The International Working Group (IWG) on Women & Sport is delighted to announce that the Brazil Olympic Committee (COB) has been selected as the next host of the IWG Secretariat for the quadrennial period 2026-2030, marking a historic move to South America for the first time.  Following a competitive international bid process, COB was chosen to lead the global network’s strategic operations for the four-year term. This prestigious t

Wednesday 3 December saw the IWG Secretariat and Global Executive meet at Stade Léopold Sédar Senghor in Dakar, Senegal, for the Annual General Meeting 2025 and Strategic Planning Session. Generously hosted by La Conférence des Ministres de la Jeunesse et des Sports de la Francophonie (CONFEJES) and its Secretary General Louisetter-Renée Thobi OLY (IWG Global Executive Member), the meeting was an opportunity to not only review progress in 2024-2025 but also plans for the IW

International Olympic Committee Joins 9th IWG Global Summit to Accelerate Gender Equity in Sport. The International Working Group (IWG) on Women & Sport is proud to announce the renewal of its long-standing collaboration with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) . The IOC has signed on as a Supporting Partner for the upcoming 9th IWG Global Summit on Women & Sport   , taking place 9-11 July 2026 at the International Convention Centre (ICC) in Birmingham, UK. This announ

The IWG Global Summit 2026 tickets are officially live!   Be part of this unmissable event, bringing together leaders, changemakers and organisations from around the world committed to advancing gender equity in sport and physical activity.  The IWG Global Summit promises to be the world’s foremost gathering of leaders in sport, providing a platform for sharing best practices and the latest insights affecting women and girls in sport and physical activity. Set against a mome

On Wednesday 12 November 2025, IWG Secretary General Lisa O’Keefe MBE represented the International Working Group (IWG) on Women & Sport at the Sport and Recreation Alliance  90th Anniversary Celebration and Annual General Meeting, held at the historic St James’s Palace in London.   Chaired by the Alliance’s President, HRH The Duke of Edinburgh , the event brought together leaders from across the UK’s sport and recreation sector to reflect on nine decades of progress since t

We are thrilled to announce that last week Active Cheshire joined ten key partners in officially signing the Brighton Plus Helsinki Declaration , reinforcing their shared commitment to creating greater equality for women and girls in sport and physical activity.  Lisa O'Keefe MBE joined Active Cheshire and ten key partners in officially signing the Brighton Plus Helsinki Declaration Active Cheshire’s mission is to embed physical activity into everyday life by 2040, ensuring

We are delighted to welcome the Unió de Federacions Esportives de Catalunya (UFEC) as a signatory to the Brighton plus Helsinki Declaration. The 8th edition of the European Sport Platform took place from 23–25 October 2025 in Barcelona, Spain, marking a historic moment for gender equality in sport. Organised by ENGSO and hosted by UFEC , the three-day event brought together sports leaders, policymakers and experts from across Europe to explore the future of grassroots sport

The Kosovo Olympic Committee and 15 institutions sign the Brighton Plus Helsinki Declaration, reaffirming their commitment to equality and inclusion in sport.

Taiwan Parliamentary Women’s Sports Diplomacy Committee becomes the latest signatory to the IWG Brighton plus Helsinki Declaration IWG is delighted to welcome the Taiwan Parliamentary Women’s Sports Diplomacy Committee as the latest signatory to the Brighton plus Helsinki Declaration. The Taiwan Parliamentary Women’s Sports Diplomacy Committee seeks to combine parliamentary diplomacy with women’s sports, enabling more international partners to witness their athletic achieveme

Türkiye Rowing Federation Strengthens Commitment to Gender Equality with IWG Women and Sport Signing   The global movement for gender equality in sport continues to grow, as the Türkiye Rowing Federation officially joined the International Working Group (IWG) on Women and Sport by signing the Brighton Plus Helsinki Declaration during the 2025 European Rowing Coastal & Beach Sprint Championships in Antalya.  Hosted by the Türkiye Rowing Federation and held under the auspices o

IWG is proud to welcome StreetGames as a signatory to the Brighton Plus Helsinki Declaration, a globally recognised framework for equity, inclusion, and opportunity for women and girls in sport and physical activity. By signing the Declaration, StreetGames has made a strong public commitment to advancing gender equity within community sport, ensuring that girls and young women from all backgrounds have the chance to participate, lead, and thrive. The signing took place at a w

Liverpool City Region and Greater Manchester Mayors unite to close gender gap in sport, physical activity and movement This landmark move makes them the first place-based signatories in the Declaration’s 30-year history. Mayors Steve Rotheram and Andy Burnham launch drive to tackle inequalities that prevent women and girls getting active. The barriers for women to move more are illustrated in the gender activity gap and the resulting mental, social and physical health impacts

We are proud to announce UN Women has signed a landmark agreement with IWG to accelerate gender equality across the global sports arena. The partnership will harness sport’s power to empower women and girls, strengthen movements, and drive systemic change worldwide. Through the new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), the two partners will work with governments, federations and civil society to build coalitions and press for shifts in policy, practice and social norms that adva

World Rugby signs IWGs' Brighton Plus Helsinki Declaration This afternoon World Rugby became the latest signatory to the IWGs' Brighton Plus Helsinki Declaration. Signed on Day One of World Rugby’s Women Summit, the Declaration is an international treaty  that has become a road map to support the ongoing development of a more fair and equitable system of sport and physical activity, fully inclusive of women and girls. World Rugby adds it’s signature on the back of a hugely su

Sport Wales Commits to Equal Opportunities for Women and Girls by Signing the Brighton plus Helsinki Declaration We are delighted to welcome Sport Wales as the latest signatory of the Brighton plus Helsinki Declaration, joining a growing global movement committed to advancing gender equity in sport and physical activity. By signing the Declaration, Sport Wales has further demonstrated its commitment to ensuring that women and girls across the nation have equal and equitable

The International Working Group (IWG) on Women and Sport is delighted to be teaming up with Aston Villa Women Football Club (AVWFC), with the IWG Global Summit 2026 logo displayed on the team’s match shirts during the opening month of the 2025/26 season.

World Flying Disc Federation Signs Brighton plus Helsinki Declaration, Reinforcing Commitment to Gender Equality in Sport The World...

The International Working Group (IWG) on Women and Sport has bolstered its long-standing relationship with the International University Sports Federation (FISU) through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), which will see the two organisations support each other’s gender equality objectives in the build up to the IWG Global Summit 2026 and beyond.

IWG’s Secretary General Lisa O’Keefe MBE and Global Executive member Etsuko Ogasawara were in attendance at the ASEAN conference on gender equity in sports in Penang, Malaysia, at the end of last month, where Lisa also delivered a keynote presentation.

Call for Presentations: Share Your Expertise at the IWG Global Summit 2026 Do you have findings, insights, learnings or best practice examples that can help level the playing field for women and girls in sport? Do you want to share your expertise with global leaders, policymakers and change makers? We want to hear from you.