Gender equality in sport is a complex challenge that requires action across different sectors, including sports, politics and media. The gender gap in sport is driven by various structural and social factors, which can be tackled through specific policy interventions. In addition to the need for addressing structural barriers, gender awareness in sport can help to reduce biases in favour of male athletes and underlying prejudices against women in sport.
For example, social norms that associate femininity with domestic duties can discourage female family members from allowing their daughters to participate in competitive sports, for fear of how this may affect their traditional roles. Similarly, a culture of gendered divisions within the home can lead to the socialisation of girls into stereotyped behaviour, which prevents them from participating in certain sports, such as weightlifting (25). In turn, this limits opportunities for women to access sporting activities and facilities, while also inhibiting their competitive success.
While the passage of Title IX was a game-changer, there is still much to do to achieve true gender equality in sports. This is why we work to promote gender equality in sports through a range of programmes and initiatives.
One of these is our Sport for Generation Equality initiative, which aims to create a powerful coalition of stakeholders, including women and men in sport, to make gender equality a lived reality in sport for girls and boys. This includes challenging explicit cases of discrimination, raising awareness of the benefits of gender equality in sport and highlighting good practice.