Active Oxfordshire and University of Oxford Join Global Movement for Gender Equity

The International Working Group (IWG) on Women & Sport is proud to announce that Active Oxfordshire and the University of Oxford have jointly signed the Brighton Plus Helsinki Declaration.

By adding their names to the Declaration, both organisations join a global movement of over 700 signatories committed to advancing gender equity, turning global principles into local action across movement, physical activity, and sport.

The signing signifies a joined up commitment to embedding gender equity across Oxfordshire by bridging world leading academic research together with strategic, locally driven systems change.

A central pillar of this effort is the University of Oxford's Women's Sport Research Network. By uniting experts from medical sciences, engineering, social sciences, and performance sport alongside the Women's Health Centre and the Podium Institute, the University is addressing historical gaps in female athlete health, injury prevention, and musculoskeletal science. Crucially, this cutting edge research is being translated directly into actionable solutions and gender informed coaching practices to better serve female athletes at every level.

Complementing this focus on insight and evidence, Active Oxfordshire acts as a catalyst for change on the ground, working to create safe, inclusive, and empowering environments where women and girls can thrive.

Acknowledging that physical inactivity rates are exacerbated by compounding systemic barriers, Active Oxfordshire champions an intersectional approach. This includes working alongside local partners to tackle inequalities tied to race, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic background. Recent initiatives have seen the organisation fund inclusive sporting opportunities at Banbury Mosque, back East Oxford's first girls' basketball team, and support walking and cycling projects for ethnically diverse women.

Both organisations are also dedicated to empowering the next generation. The University of Oxford is widening access through its Young Sport Leaders programme in state secondary schools, while Active Oxfordshire's flagship Girls Coach Academy, delivered in partnership with former world champion inline skater Jenna Downing, has helped over 400 Year 9 girls to build the confidence and skills to become active role models in their cohort.

Sal Culmer-Shields, Head of Healthy Active Children at Active Oxfordshire, shared the ambition behind their commitment:

"At Active Oxfordshire, we are committed to creating more equitable opportunities for women and girls to be active, inclusive of all women and girls and the many different experiences they have or challenges they may face. Signing the Brighton Plus Helsinki Declaration strengthens our commitment, holds us accountable, and connects us to a global movement working collectively to create meaningful and lasting change and a more equal future."

Alexander Betts, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for External Engagement, Sport, and Community at the University of Oxford, added:

"Signing the Brighton Plus Helsinki Declaration reflects our belief that women and girls deserve equal opportunity to thrive in sport. We're proud to stand alongside a global community committed to turning that belief into meaningful, lasting change."

Annamarie Phelps, Co-Chair of the International Working Group (IWG) on Women and Sport, welcomed the joint signing:

"We are thrilled to welcome Active Oxfordshire and the University of Oxford to our global network of signatories. Creating lasting gender equity in sport requires collaboration, and this joint signing perfectly captures that spirit. By bringing together world-leading research with locally-led impact, they are building a shared model for progress that has the potential to inspire signatories across the world."