In the run up to Rio 2016 Olympics and the Paralympics, EIGE’s International Women’s Day celebration focuses on gender equality in sport. EIGE’s research shows that while both women and men practice sport, the sports arena is far from equal and most of the decisions are made by men.

The figures speak for themselves. In national sports federations across the EU, women hold only 14% of important decision-making positions, such as board members, general secretaries and vice-presidents. Only 5% of presidents are women.

Women are also side lined in sports coaching, and EU estimates show that only 20% to 30% of all sports coaches in Europe are women. They are more likely to be found in sports with a high proportion of women participants, such as dancing, gymnastics, figure skating and equestrian and be working at the local and regional levels.

On 7 March, the day before International Women’s Day, EIGE will host a conference dedicated to “Gender equality and sport: towards a level playing field for women”.

The conference is organised in cooperation with the Lithuanian Olympic Committee, the Nordic Council of Ministers and the Nordic Embassies in Vilnius. It will bring together representatives from the European Commission, the international community in Vilnius, Lithuanian sports federations, policy makers, gender equality organisations, media representatives, as well as international and local athletes.

If interested to participate, please register hereConfirmation will be sent via email.

To read the conference programme, click here.

Read EIGE’s fact sheet on gender equality in sports here.

Read more about mainstreaming gender equality into the sport sector here.

Read the press release "International Women’s Day in the year of the Olympics: Men are still making all the rules" here.

Speakers

Daina
Gudzinevičiūtė

Lolita
Dudėnienė
Paola
Ottonello
Virginija
Langbakk
Rikke
Rønholt
Harii
Mäki-Reinikka
Hilkka
Laitinen
Rima
Valentienė

Kristina
Thuree

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