EWS committee

ENGSO at the Council of Europe (EPAS) breakfast roundtable for International Women’s Day 2026

Efforts to strengthen gender equality and address women’s health in sport are highlighted by several initiatives led by the Council of Europe. For example, on 6 March, the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Sport (EPAS) organised its annual breakfast roundtable in connection with International Women’s Day. The event focused on participation levels among women and girls in sport and addresses inequalities identified through the joint EU–Council of Europe initiative All In Plus.

Marie Denitton, ENGSO Office Director and EPAS Consultative Committee Gender Equality Rapporteur, was among the guest speakers in the panel discussion: “Data on the participation of women and girls in sport and the reasons behind high dropout rates.” During her presentation, she highlighted: “Gender equality in sport doesn’t happen by chance—it happens through commitment, cooperation, and action. Through ENGSO’s work, European sport is turning shared values into measurable change, ensuring that leadership, opportunities, and resources are open to everyone. No one can do everything, but everyone can do something.”

The day before, on 5 March, Marie attended the launch of the new joint project between the EU and the Council of Europe — “Active and Equal: Women’s Health in Sport across the Generations”. The initiative aims to deepen knowledge about how health factors influence women’s participation in sport and to encourage sport organisations to adapt policies and practices accordingly at every level of participation.

The launch event brought together experts, sport representatives and researchers to discuss both scientific insights and examples of good practice related to women’s health in sport. During the discussions, Baz Moffat, CEO of The Well HQ, underlined that education on female health should be considered a long-term priority rather than a temporary trend. Annamarie Phelps, member of the Executive Committee of the European Olympic Committees, pointed to the growing visibility of female athletes, noting that role models connected to the upcoming Milano Cortina Olympic Games 2026 reflect broader societal changes in attitudes toward women in sport. Speakers emphasised that progress requires coordinated action across the sporting ecosystem, including research, supportive structures and strong communities.