Changing the Culture and Systems of Sport – A French Approach

Danièle Salva, Ministry of Youth and Sport

I. Recent Changes –  A few examples

•     Activities
  Since January 2000, rugby XV, fencing, petanque, boxing and kickboxing, and wrestling have become advanced-level sports as much for women as for men.
• Incentive allocation criteria
  The criteria used to promote equality between women and men have been reviewed (compensation, performance incentives and social assistance). A study of all the federations had been carried out to see which incentives had been offered to athletes and what "allocation criteria" were used. Federations were asked to use the same criteria when evaluating both women and men.
  

Advances in equal opportunity

• The proposal to integrate more women into administration
  At the beginning of 2002, the proposal was validated and a task officer was appointed to the administration branch of the ministry to ensure its implementation. The proposal indicates the percentages that must be reached by sports instructor, youth and sports instructor, and upper-management positions.
  

Percentage of women in upper management

In central administration

Percentage of women in core positions

• The national council for sports and physical activity (APS)
  The council president, Ms. Edwige Avice, is the former youth and sports minister. 30% of the council members are women.
  
  
• Sports teachership juries
  Since 2001, there has been equal membership in the juries.
  
  
• The April 9, 2002 decree on the status of sports groups
  As indicated in Article 2a of the April 9, 2002 decree on the certification of sports groups "Statutes must contain provisions for the participation of each member at the general assembly . . ." Article 2c states the "provisions for equal access by women and men to administrative positions: Statutes must ensure and guarantee that board membership be representative of the general assembly membership."

An attempt to improve the image of women athletes

• The creation of media awards
  - The Jane Renoux award which aims to feminize sports journalism.
  - The media award which aims to highlight women athletes in newspapers, on the radio and on television.

Awareness and communications tools

• Film: Sports and women
  This film was created as an awareness tool for the "women and sport" network. The screenplay was written by two women, Ms. Monique Finas, from the sports and media group with the Ministry of youth and sport, and Ms. Dominique Petit, sports development coordinator with the French national Olympic and sports committee (CNOSF). The film comments on the evolution of female and male sports practices and describes the state of sports today. It is designed to emphasize the differences and similarities between female and male practices and shed light on aspects featured in preceding chapters. These images raise awareness and provoke reactions. The film will be used as a starting point for a discussion and debate on the theme. It has been distributed to all departmental and regional youth and sports facilities, including departmental and regional Olympic sports committees (CDOS and CROS).
  
  
• Poster campaign: Women and sports, an essential combination
  This public campaign began in April 2002. Posters and postcards were placed in train, bus and subway stations, stores and other public places.
• Bilingual pamphlet: Women in sports: a priority and a chance
  The pamphlet is a promotional tool used to describe events in a concise manner.
  A large number of copies were distributed at all national and international meetings.

International involvement

• Chair of the EWS
  France has taken over the European Women and Sport (EWS) chair for 2002-2004. The theme of the 6th annual conference, taking place in France in 2004, is: Women, Sports, Democracy. Women: a challenge to sports. Sports: a challenge to sports.
  
  
• A delegation of Afghan women at the Olympic Games
  New hope has sprung in Afghanistan. Afghan women still need our solidarity. Last April, Marie-George Buffet made a call for "a female and male Afghan delegation at the Olympic Games in Athens, 2004". She continues to gather a large number of signatures. 25,000 women and men have thus far given their support.

II. Success factors

The means

The creation of a human network

• The steering committee
  The committee was created by Ms. Marie-George Buffet. Members were:
  - Lilian Halls-French, technical advisor to the Minister's office,
  - Jean-Marie L'Honen, youth and sports general inspector,
  - Monique Finas-Reille, sports management task officer and coordinator of 10 working groups,
  - Expert consultants: Ms. Catherine Louveau, Ms. Annick Davisse, Ms. Nicole Darrigrand-Pelissard, Ms. Nicole Dechavanne and Ms. Françoise Labridy contributed to the entire project.
  
  
• Working groups
  Ten working groups were established to evaluate the situation, analyze and make proposals promoting equal opportunity for women and men in sports. These groups-created by eight women and two men from both the Ministry of youth and sport and different federations-incorporated athletes, researchers, instructors, trainers, doctors, unionists, journalists and volunteers. Their objective was to cover all aspects of athletics.

The work carried out by these ten groups initially resulted in the production of progress reports published in May 1999.

• Regional correspondents
  At first, correspondents were nominated from each regional youth and sports service.
  Later, correspondents were also chosen from departmental services.
  This network was created in such a way that conclusions drawn on a national level could be implemented locally.
  
  
• Task officers from federations
  Sports federations were also required to designate a federal task officer in charge of the development of women and sports.
  
  
• Financial means
  o to finance projects,
  o to finance national or local activities.

As of 1999, "women and sport" specific accounts were reserved to finance the network and certain implemented actions. The amount of these accounts has increased from 2 million in 1999 to 4 million in 2002.

Other national accounts
Since 1999, State grant forms have included a "women and sport" clause. This clause was integrated into the grant request so that sports federations would implement specific, innovative actions that aim to specifically develop women and sports programs.

Approximately €762,000 have been allotted to this clause in 1999, 2000 and 2001.

At the end of 2001, a substantial fund of €1.68 million was available to sports federations. The grants must be used to create specific training programs for athletic leaders (referees, trainers, etc.), to elaborate upon a federal communications plan or to improve the conditions necessary for practising advanced-level sports.
By creating the "women and sport" specific accounts clause, certain local activities have been financed.

Generally speaking, all of the decentralized accounts (departmental accounts and National funds for sports development (FNDS) regional accounts, investment funds, and the Fernand Sastre fund) can be activated to finance the development of women and sports.
Furthermore, at the end of 2001, a substantial fund of €3.05 million was allotted to the Ministry of youth and sport decentralized services. It was intended for regional or departmental committees, clubs for the development of female athletes and, specifically, for athlete training, local sports structuring and organizing children's participation in sports.

The approach

• Alternating
• thoughts,
• activities,
• communication.
• The beginning of this approach: March 8, 1998
• National conference: May 29-30, 1999

Over 500 people attended this conference. Four round-table discussions were organized. The themes were: restrictions and freedoms, equality-co-educational practices, access to athletic responsibility, and sports practices and daily life. Eight workshops were also organized.

• National Women and Sport Day: January 28, 2000
  The objectives of this meeting were to review the accomplishments since the network was implemented on a national and local level.
  
  
• National Meeting: December 1, 2001
  450 people attended the meeting, of those, 20-25% were men, which is better than the turnout at previous national meetings. It must be noted that all sports management bureau chiefs and regional youth and sports directors had been invited to attend. Seven workshops were organized, followed by a work summary plenary session.
  
  
• National Women and Sport Day: February 2, 2002, organized by the CNOSF
  In February 2002, the CNOSF organized another "women and sport" day. 200 people were in attendance. The objective was access to athletic responsibility (through the creation of training sessions). The 2002 program was to give physically challenged women access to practising sports and to create an exposition on the place of women in large international competitions and sports organizations.
  
  
• to involve the sports movement at every level
  
  
• to associate with the interdepartmental women's rights delegation - be it on a national or local level. It is necessary to work in conjunction with the government.

The will to work in athletics

• Health, physiology, body and sexual identity
• Childhood and adolescence
• Analysis of female sporting practices
• Equality-parity for women and men in sports
• Women and advanced-level sports
• Women, sports and the media
• Women and sports, an international dimension
• Women, sports and insertion
• Women, sports and sponsorship
• Emerging or minority practices

The will to work in three sectors

• Access to practices
• Access to athletic responsibility
• Recognizing and valorizing athletes

A national and international context

• The law on parity in politics
  Constitutional law no. 99-569 created on July 8, 1999, is pertinent to equality between women and men.

Law no. 2000-493 created on June 6, 2000, provides equal access for women and men to election warrants.

The law created on May 9, 2001, addresses professional equality between women and men.

• The 2000 Charter signed by five ministries
  On February 25, 2000, an agreement on equal opportunity for girls and boys was signed by five ministries:
  - Employment and Solidarity,
  - Education, Research and Technology,
  - Academic Instruction,
  - Agriculture and Fisheries,
  - Women's Rights and Professional Training.
  
  The agreement specifies that "Promoting equal opportunity for girls and boys is not only a national priority but also a priority for the European Union, which can allot structural funds when the program is implemented.

Achieving equality has proven to be one of the biggest social challenges to date, given the reticence with which history has addressed the issue. This is why it is important to take measures that change structures and mentalities, mechanisms and behaviours, from the very first exposure to corporate sponsorship to social and professional integration."

The fields covered by this agreement include teaching, looking for employment, finding employment and being employed. "It ensures that all individuals in athletics are conscious of the unequal treatment that exists between women and men, and that they work to change the cultural, administrative and technical processes that attempt to separate women from men in sports."

• the necessity of having gender-based statistics,
• recommendations from the European Union,
• the level of the provision of crèches or other child-care facilities in association with sport centres,
• European and international working groups. - Mainly the EWS and the IWG.

III. Challenges

Given the current evolution of political life, we must continue to act, no matter who is at the head of the French government.

More changes needed in French mentalities

• think about the "right to choose" for women. This is an education problem.
• provide women with tangible access to decision-making positions
• within the sports movement,
• within sports management, and,
• among local elected officials.

More changes needed in mentalities abroad

• in southern Europe (In countries that border the Mediterranean.)

IV. Recommendations and priorities for the future

Adapt the pedagogical content of physical education, including training, exams and competitions
Until 2000, traditionally masculine athletic activities were the most prevalent in teaching, training, exams and competitions. These activities undervalue girls. For example, there is an average difference of two points between girls' and boys' grades at the high school level.

Develop coaching methods for women practising sports at all levels

• technical aspects
• medical aspects

Ensure that present-day structures evolve

• access to athletic responsibility (develop training)

Adapt athletic practices

• Taking women's needs and expectations into consideration