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A. The Brighton Conference 1994 In May 1994, the 'Women, Sport and the Challenge of Change' conference took place in Brighton, England, organised and hosted by the former British Sports Council and supported by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The aim of the conference was to address the issue of how to accelerate the process of change that would redress the imbalances women face in their participation and involvement in sport. The first major world conference aimed at decision makers from government and non-governmental sectors and focusing entirely on women and sport, it provided significant opportunities to learn of both the positive successes and the issues faced across the world. By providing a truly international perspective on women and sport embracing every continent and numerous countries, the conference recognised and valued the diversity of cultures and of women throughout the world. A total of 280 delegates, from both government and non-government organisations and representing some 82 countries, were present. The conference agenda embraced a similar range and diversity of subjects relevant to women's sport. It considered such issues as culture, gender, disability and sexuality, along with discussions on leadership, the management of change, marketing and the media, mentoring and networking. Those who attended the conference took away a wealth of knowledge about issues, actions and initiatives from across the globe. For many, it provided the opportunity to discover solutions to problems, to meet like-minded people and to make a new commitment to making more happen for women and girls in sport. The conference was also a starting point for change, particularly through its three main outcomes:
The International Women and Sport Strategy, 1994-1998, was created to co-ordinate work on women and sport issues in the international arena. It recommended the implementation of the Strategy and the adoption of the Brighton Declaration by governments and organisations around the world. The development of such an international strategic approach also sought to enable model programs and successful developments to be shared among national and international sporting federations, in order to accelerate the global evolution towards a more equitable sporting culture. The IWG was formed to oversee the Strategy implementation. The Brighton Declaration provides a comprehensive
set of principles for the development of opportunities for women
and sport. Its overriding aim is: The Declaration recognises the significant value of sport which, when practised fairly and equitably, enriches society and friendship between nations, and provides a wide range of benefits to individuals. It also promotes the contribution that women can make to sport, and the fact that participation in sport can enrich, enhance and develop women's lives. The Declaration, which now has worldwide currency, is reproduced in Appendix A of this report, and is posted on the IWG Web site at www.iwg-gti.org. One of the key objectives of the International Strategy, which has been pursued by the IWG with considerable success since 1994, has been to seek the adoption of the Brighton Declaration in all parts of the world, particularly by key decision makers and influencers. The initial target of 100 organisations adopting the Brighton Declaration between 1994 and 1998 was dramatically exceeded, with over 200 national and international organisations formally adopting or endorsing the Declaration by May 1998. That number continues to rise, and as of January 2002, 250 organisations have reported adoption of the Declaration. The diversity of organisations that have adopted the Declaration also reminds us of the efforts that were made at Brighton to ensure that it reflected common issues faced by women and sport throughout the world. Its widespread acceptance has demonstrated the Declaration's relevance to numerous organisations and countries with diverse cultural and religious traditions. Organisations who have adopted the Declaration include over 40 international organisations and consortia. These include key government fora such as the Caribbean and Commonwealth Heads of Government, the European Ministers of Sport and the Supreme Council for Sport in Africa; international multi-sport organisations such as the IOC, International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and Commonwealth Games Federation; and international physical education organisations and fora including the International Council of Sport Science and Physical Education (ICSSPE), and international sport federations in athletics, archery, badminton, cycling, sailing, weightlifting and many others. Leading the way have also been non-governmental international and regional women and sport groups. Two particular groups who are at the forefront of change are IAPESGW and WomenSport International (WSI). Alongside these international groups are a number of regional groups such as the Arab, Asian, European and African Women and Sport Associations, all of which have encouraged, pressured, supported and cajoled many other national and international organisations to adopt the Declaration. The influence and resources of all these international fora cannot be underestimated. Together, the governmental fora represent a significant portion of the world's population, while each of the international physical education and sports organisations have hundreds or even thousands of members and affiliated organisations throughout the world, to whom a positive message of support for women's sport has been sent. In addition, supporting these international organisations are over 150 national organisations, responsible for sport in over 80 countries. These organisations are making progress at the national and regional levels, ensuring that the Declaration and the actions that are carried out are appropriate for their culture and circumstances. Full information on the Brighton Declaration and its Principles is contained in Appendix A. Appendix B also provides the full listing of the IWG's record of international and national organisations that have adopted the Brighton Declaration as of January 2002. The formation of the International Working
Group on Women and Sport (IWG), composed of senior decision makers
from sport on all continents, was the third major outcome of the
Brighton conference. For the period from May 1994 to May 1998, the
IWG was co-chaired by the Minister for Land Rehabilitation and Resettlement
of the Republic of Namibia, the Honourable Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana
MP, and the Director of Development for the English Sports Council,
Dr Anita White. The Secretariat was provided by the United Kingdom
Sports Council, and members of the group included representatives
from Sport Canada, the Australian Sports Commission, the Hillary
Commission (New Zealand), the Colombia Olympic Academy, WomenSport
International and the Commonwealth Games Association.
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