THE WINDHOEK CALL FOR ACTION

Progress and Lessons Learned

1.	Develop action plans with objectives and targets to implement the principles of the Brighton Declaration, and monitor and report upon their implementation.

The adoption of a rational planning process where aims, objectives and targets are set, responsibilities are allocated and resources are applied is well established in many sporting organisations. The planning process itself serves to get individuals and organisations to commit to making a contribution to the overall vision and objectives. Though some plans have been drawn up by single organisations, this is particularly important where a multi-agency approach is adopted, as in the development of national action plans that have input from both government and non-governmental agencies. The Canadian, Australian and WSF/Sport England plans are good examples of this successful co-operative approach.

To complete the circle, however, there should also be effective monitoring, reporting and evaluation. Formal approval or validation at the Board level legitimates the plan and all activities that flow from it, while ensuring at least a minimum level of accountability. While not many examples of monitoring or reporting were submitted, the Sports Council for Wales represents a notable example for having linked its plan to its work with national governing bodies, and for then requiring them to collate gender statistics and monitor progress. The Sports Council also monitors its own achievements through a regular process of review.

Progress Made / Success Stories
Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women and Sport and Physical Activity (CAAWS)
CAAWS Board

In November 2001, CAAWS and two key government partners - Sport Canada and Health Canada - announced the development of a "Canadian Strategy for Girls and Women through Physical Activity and Sport 2002-2008." Addressing many of the principles of the Brighton Declaration, this strategy creates clear objectives and targets to track the success of girls and women in sport and physical activity in Canada. By using a multi-level, multi-sectoral approach, it allows for the inclusion of traditional sport and physical activity communities, while also opening the door to partnerships within the non-traditional sectors (e.g. health, education, youth, etc). The Strategy will be presented at the World Conference on Women in Sport in Montreal in May 2002, followed by a subsequent launch at the first National Conference on Women, Sport and Physical Activity to be held in 21 years, in Hamilton, Ontario from November 28 to December 1, 2002.

In late 2001, CAAWS also began a review of its own Strategic Plan to align it more closely with the development of the more comprehensive Canadian Strategy. This too will specifically address the principles of the Brighton Declaration, identifying clear targets and action plans for CAAWS. In a recent planning session, CAAWS shifted the orientation of its action plans to focus on strategic outcomes.

By 2005, CAAWS actions are aiming to:

Lessons Learned
With this shift to performance-based planning, we are trying to be more specific around what we are trying to achieve. We have realised that we can't do it all, and being clearer about what outcomes we're working toward makes it easier for us to look for effective partners and alliances.

Womens Sports Foundation (WSF) (UK)
Amanda Bennett, Senior Development Manager, Womens Sports Foundation (UK)

The WSF(UK) has worked in partnership with Sport England (the main governmental sports organisation in England) to develop a formal National Action Plan (NAP) based on the principles of the Brighton Declaration. Providing a framework of objectives for sporting and sport-related organisations to develop their own initiatives and actions, the Plan was launched in 1999, and has since seen over 80 organisations sign on. The Plan can be downloaded from the WSF Web site at www.wsf.org.uk.

Lessons Learned
Commitment does not necessarily lead to practice, as a number of the organisations that signed up have not developed action plans or committed resources to women's involvement. The NAP is not linked to funding agreements so organisations, particularly national governing bodies, were not required to integrate gender equity into development plans. From April 2001, Sport England introduced equity into agreements with governing bodies.

Sports Council for Wales
Sarah Butlin, Sports Council for Wales

The Sports Council for Wales has had a Women and Girls in Sport Action Plan in effect since 1998. An internal working document, the Plan covers the objectives and strategic aims, as well as recording targets and progress. The format was changed in 2001 and is likely to be changed again for 2002, ensuring that the Sports Council for Wales remains focused on achieving its overall main strategic aim for women and girls, of halving the gap between male and female participation by 2005.

In 2000, 59 National Governing Bodies (NGBs) recorded the number of women and girls that were members of their organisations. Reviewed annually and presented to the Council each year, the 2002 annual review of the Plan will soon be available, including specific numbers and information on the progress of each individual Governing Body.

Lessons Learned
The Action Plan affects all Sports Council for Wales departments, and there is a genuine commitment from all officers and partners that more has to be done to address the imbalance. Increasing the participation of women and girls is now one of Sports Council for Wales' highest priority areas. The action plan reflects this, and is constantly reviewed and changed as needed. One such change is in the way we have prioritised sports in their potential to promote sports for women and girls and assist us in achieving our strategic goals.

Australian Sports Commission (ASC)
Debbie Simms, Manager - Ethics & Women, Australian Sports Commission

The Australian Sports Commission (ASC) co-ordinated Australia's response to the Brighton Declaration and the Windhoek Call for Action by developing an extensive Federal Government policy entitled Active Women: National Policy on Women and Girls in Sport, Recreation and Physical Activity 1999-2002, as well as the companion document, How to Include Women and Girls in Sport, Recreation and Physical Activity: Strategies and Good Practice (included in the IWG Toolkit for Affecting Change).

The policy's overriding aim is to foster a culture that encourages and supports the full involvement of women and girls in every aspect of sport, recreation and physical activity in Australia. Active Women provides guiding principles (based on the Brighton Declaration and Windhoek Call for Action) aimed at increasing the involvement of women and girls in sport, recreation and physical activity; offers statistics and information on the benefits of greater participation; and identifies barriers and suggests positive and collaborative solutions to overcoming them. How to Include Women and Girls in Sport, Recreation and Physical Activity gives practical strategies and examples of good practice to guide actions intended to break down some of the barriers to full participation. This document provides many examples of what can and is being done in Australia under all of the key statements and principles outlined in the Windhoek Call for Action.

Some states, such as New South Wales, also developed and implemented state government women and sport plans which support the Active Women Policy, Brighton Declaration and Windhoek Call for Action.

Lessons Learned
The Active Women Policy has been a useful document for those who are already proactive in this area, and genuinely want to increase the participation of women or girls. It has not been as successful, however, for those who probably need it the most. Unless such policies are tied to government funds, it is difficult to convince many organisations to implement strategies. Some who have indicated a need and/or interest in implementing strategies do not have the financial or human resources necessary to do so (nor in some cases the motivation). Some organisations are interested in implementing strategies, particularly those that increase participant/player numbers, but have been hesitant to make any real changes to the dominant culture. Many people (both male and female) at the operational, grass roots delivery level have expressed an interest in implementing strategies/programs, but frequently do not have the support at the higher levels of their organisations which is required in order for the strategies to be successful.

Continued awareness of the policy is another issue - letting people know that the policy exists and continually being able to do this has been an ongoing problem. A frequent comment has been "I didn't know this existed - I'd wish I had known earlier." The use of the Internet has helped in getting information out to a wider audience, but again, you have to know where to look, and have the inclination to look.

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Botswana National Olympic Committee
Tjiyapo Mokobi, Publicity Secretary, Botswana National Olympic Committee

Women and Sport Botswana (WASBO) was launched on November 3, 2000 as a sub-structure of the Botswana National Sports Council, at a convention held in Gaborone. Attended by all stakeholders including 2 delegates of national sports associations, district representatives and women athletes, the conference featured the discussion and adoption of a strategic plan, and agreement upon the following call for action:

Call for Action

This Call for Action was later ratified at a Botswana National Sports Council Ordinary Meeting, which is attended by the Presidents and Secretaries General of national sports associations.

WASBO is now at the stage where it is planning a review of associations' strategic plans, with a view to incorporating the development of the girl child in all strategic plans and increasing the number of women in administration and decision making positions. Committee volunteers from the Sports Volunteer Movement are being taken through a workshop on the WASBO strategic plan. This group, together with a committee member, will then be assigned a group of sporting codes for conducting mini workshops, assist in the creation of development plans, collect data and review progress.

Also in the planning stage is a women's empowerment workshop aimed at female athletes and officials.

To avoid parallel structures, WASBO has a Botswana National Olympic Committee representative within their committee, ensuring that all activities are coordinated and targeted at awareness and women's empowerment, as well as facilitating access to funding.

Finnish Sports Federation
Nelli Heinonen, Manager, Gender Equality, Finnish Sports Federation

The "Common Goal" National Gender Equality Program of the Finnish Sports Federation was established in 1998 for the years 1998-2000. As a multi-dimensional program in promoting gender equality in sports, it is still equally valid today, and will be an important framework for future planning.

For the year 2002, an action plan focuses on three main areas:

Lessons Learned
Attitudes change very slowly!

USA Women's Sports Foundation
Yolanda L. Jackson, International Liaison, Women's Sports Foundation, USA

The USA Women's Sport Foundation updated its Strategic Plan in March 2001 to extend from 2002-2004 with the principles of the Brighton Declaration in mind. The Foundation's overall Mission is to: 1) promote the lifelong participation of all girls and women in sports and physical activity; and 2) create an educated public that encourages females' participation and supports gender equality in sports. The Plan includes five Goals with accompanying Objectives.

Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF)
Judy Kent, CGF Sports Committee

The Women in Sport Committee of the Commonwealth Games Federation has an action plan in place for Women in Sport, including key activities, tasks and responsibilities. Key activities include the development of a leadership network in Commonwealth Countries and new means of communication (list servs, fax updates), research on women and girls in sport within the Commonwealth, stronger sector alliances and leadership training.

Lessons Learned
It has been hard at the international level to work with a plan - but it is essential as a tool to establish priorities and check back on successes. It is easier to use specific issues or initiatives to draw people together.

Commonwealth Games Association of Canada (CGAC) International Sport Division
Jay Mafukidze, CSLC Coordinator, Commonwealth Games Association of Canada

The CGAC has assisted Zimbabwe in developing an action plan for women in sport and facilitated Africa's Zone 6 Women and Sport Strategic Plan (see below).

Lessons Learned
An action plan cannot be top-down driven; grassroots development is necessary and it is important to have a critical mass of key personnel (women and men) to ensure progress.

Supreme Council of Sport in Africa (SCSA) Zone 6
(Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Swaziland, Angola, Namibia and Zambia)
Charles Dzimba, Project Co-ordinator, SCSA Zone 6

Women and sport is one of the major projects of the SCSA Zone 6. as a result, it has prepared a strategic plan which includes a mission, vision, values and a SWOT analysis (i.e. an evaluation of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats). All member states have been assisted in forming national associations, and the Zone has established a number of different committees (Technical & Development; Advocacy and Awareness; Marketing and Finance; Research and Documentation; Organisational Effectiveness; Equity and Access) each with their own goals, terms of reference and action plans which identify key activities, responsibilities, timelines, resources and outcomes. Three times a year, meetings are held with all member states to monitor progress and review strategic plans.

Lessons Learned
Power struggles based on personality differences, not principles, have impeded progress. The importance of long and short-term strategic plans has been significant. There has also been a tendency to associate with the World Women and Sport Movement, before ensuring that the home front is functional.

International Council of Sport Science and Physical Education (ICSSPE)
Prof. Dr. Gudrun Doll-Tepper, President, ICSSPE

In order to respond to the first point of the Windhoek Call for Action, the Executive Board Members of the International Council of Sport Science and Physical Education (ICSSPE) asked for a Gender Equity Plan to be developed in 1998. In 1999, the Gender Equity Plan was adopted by the Executive Board, and in 2000 the Plan was ratified by the General Assembly. This Gender Equity Plan (including Conference Guidelines) is now part of ICSSPE's Statutes and Byelaws. Since adopting this Plan, the Council has changed its bylaws concerning patronage and financial support. Now, event organisers must meet new gender equity criteria in order to receive support from ICSSPE, and gender equity guidelines are used in the preparation of ICSSPE's Pre-Olympic Scientific Conferences.

ICSSPE has also included monitoring and reporting in its work on two levels: 1) with respect to the actions of ICSSPE itself, and 2) in the actions of each member organisation. ICSSPE 's President and Executive Office staff communicate the Council's initiatives in its regular publications, on the Internet and at Board Meetings. Member organisations are asked to submit progress reports to the Executive Office every two years and a summary of progress is presented at each General Assembly. In preparation of the report to the 2000 General Assembly, only 6 of the 22 member organisations of the Associations' Board responded. Profiles of member organisation's initiatives are also regularly included in the Council's publications.

Lessons Learned
It has been a long process to gain commitment to the Gender Equity Plan, but it has been important to go through the full process of getting the plan approved and then following up with monitoring and reporting. Despite strong support from the President and one of the Vice Presidents of ICSSPE, there were some natural scientists on the President's Committee who were sceptical about taking positive measures for gender equity in case it compromised the scientific quality of publications or conferences. Where pockets of resistance were identified the tactic used was to involve those people in the production of the plan. The main lesson learned was the importance of having a well-stated case, and the need for patience and persistence. Gender Equality issues needed to be included on every agenda of ICSSPE Board Meetings to ensure attention and progress, and constant reminders about the Gender Equity Plan were necessary. Profiles of progress are included in the Council's publications as a reminder and event organisers are reminded of the conference guidelines when they ask for financial support or patronage. ICSSPE has also been more successful with direct action than in persuading its members to take action.

 

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