Three Catalan Sports Federations Commit to GlobalGender Equity at IWG Summit

Three leading Catalan sports federations have officially pledged their commitment to global gender equity by signing the Brighton Plus Helsinki Declaration at the IWG Global Summit in Birmingham.

This initiative is driven by the Union of Sports Federations of Catalonia (UFEC) — which became the first Catalan sports body to sign the agreement last year and continues to accompany federations on this path — in close collaboration with the Catalan Government. Demonstrating this joint institutional commitment, a delegation from UFEC and the Department of Sports of the Generalitat de Catalunya traveled together to Birmingham to support the federations throughout the process.

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

"We are thrilled to welcome these three Catalan federations to our global network of 700

organisations, further strengthening the impressive cohort of signatories from the region.

“Their dedication to breaking down systemic barriers and building inclusive environments perfectly embodies the ethos of the Brighton Plus Helsinki Declaration. By sharing their vital insights with our network, they will play a crucial role in our collective mission to level the playing field and drive lasting, international equity for women and girls in sport."

UFEC President Gerard Esteva highlighted the strategic importance of this milestone, stating that female leadership is an essential element in continuing to transform Catalan sport, and that this signing reinforces a commitment UFEC aims to extend across all federations, as only through more diverse and inclusive governance can the sector address future challenges.

The three newly signing entities bring concrete, action-driven commitments to this global movement.

The Catalan Volleyball Federation (Federació Catalana de Voleibol) — one of Catalonia's larges sports bodies with a predominantly female base — is dedicated to building an inclusive environment where women can thrive both on and off the court.

Through initiatives like the "Vòlei Dona" programme, the federation is creating vital spaces to debate leadership, increase visibility, and tackle the ongoing challenges women face in the sporting world.

Maribel Zamora, President of the Federació Catalana de Voleibol, emphasised the importance of collective responsibility:

"Volleyball is one of the sports with the highest female participation in Catalonia, and we believe we have a responsibility to continue building a more equal, visible and inclusive sporting environment. Becoming a signatory of the Brighton Plus Helsinki Declaration reinforces our commitment to that goal."

The Catalan Athletics Federation (Federació Catalana d'Atletisme) is embedding equality across grassroots athletics schools, mixed competitions, and the development of female officials, with President Mercè Rosich i Vilaró noting that her leadership is guided by a deep belief in “the empowerment of the woman in society" and the vital need to bring greater visibility to women in sport.

Meanwhile, the Catalan Modern Pentathlon Federation (Federació Catalana de Pentatló

Modern) is actively creating pathways for women in technical and leadership roles through targeted development programmes supported by Iberdrola and the Spanish Federation's Women and Sport initiative.

President Susana Martínez reaffirmed that gender equity is essential to the future of their sport, and went on to say that:

"By signing the Brighton Plus Helsinki Declaration, we reaffirm our commitment to creating equal opportunities for women and girls to participate, lead and be recognised in modern pentathlon."

Carme Bastida, Director of the Catalan Sports Council (Consell Català de l'Esport) of the

Generalitat de Catalunya, emphasised that adhering to the principles of the declaration

reminds us that effective equality is not achieved solely by increasing female participation, but by advancing toward more inclusive governance models, ensuring real leadership opportunities, and building a sporting culture that values the potential of every person.

She added that Catalonia must remain a benchmark in promoting female leadership in sport, stressing the need for more women presiding over federations, leading entities, coaching teams, and occupying decision-making spaces — not to fill quotas, but because talent has no gender and sport is better when it incorporates the full diversity of society.

Looking ahead, the commitment across Catalan sports continues to expand. The Catalan

federations for Sports for People with Intellectual Disabilities (ACELL, led by Pepa Muñoz) and Sports for the Blind (led by Dolors Luna) have already completed the initial process. Likewise, the Korfball Federation (led by Kira Menén), Rugby Federation (led by Marie Teixidor), and Deaf Sports Federation of Catalonia (led by Mar Visa) are in the same position, having all cleared the initial onboarding stage. Consequently, they will sign the declaration in the near future alongside the incoming IWG Secretariat to be led by Brazil.

This momentum is supported by UFEC's ongoing structural dedication to gender equality, quality, and environmental sustainability, having become the first non-profit sports organisation to achieve international ISO certifications in these areas.

UFEC acts as a benchmark for local federations and clubs through pioneering initiatives,

including leading the European Gap Women Project to eliminate the gender gap in federated sport, creating the first postgraduate programme in female sports leadership (WESE), organising the International Women in Sports Congress, and participating in the Erasmus+funded POWER initiative to transform how female athletes are portrayed in the media.