ENGSO EWS: advancing gender equality in Sport as regional representative for IWG Women & Sport
ENGSO Equality Within Sport (EWS) Committee serves as Europe’s official representative within the International Working Group (IWG) on Women and Sport Global Executive. Representing ENGSO as the Regional Representative for Europe is Tarja Krum, Chair of the ENGSO EWS Committee, succeeding Sallie Barker, the former chair.
Since its establishment in 1994, the IWG Women and Sport has grown into the world’s largest network dedicated to promoting equity and equality in sport and physical activity for women and girls globally. The IWG also serves as the custodian of the Brighton Plus Helsinki Declaration, a landmark treaty advocating for gender equality in sport and physical activity. This declaration has been endorsed by nearly 600 organisations worldwide, including ENGSO.
The IWG Secretariat, currently based in London, United Kingdom, operates with support from five organisations: Sport and Recreation Alliance (an ENGSO member), UK Sport, Sport England, Sport Scotland, and Sport Wales. The IWG’s core activities include:
Hosting the IWG Global Summit every four years.
Acting as custodian of the Brighton Plus Helsinki Declaration.
Collaborating with nearly 600 organisations.
Driving initiatives aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Offering tools and resources through platforms like the IWG Insight Hub.
Save the Date: IWG Global Summit 2026
The IWG Global Summit is the largest global gathering of experts, policymakers, and leaders in sport and physical activity, focused on advancing gender equality and equity in sport. The 9th edition of the summit will take place from July 9–11, 2026, in Birmingham, United Kingdom.
The Brighton Plus Helsinki Declaration
The Brighton Declaration, introduced by the IWG in 1994, is a pioneering international treaty that provides a roadmap for fostering a fair and equitable sports system inclusive of women and girls. It remains a cornerstone document for promoting gender equality in sport and physical activity worldwide. Learn more about the declaration here: Brighton Plus Helsinki Declaration
Upcoming webinar
EWS is preparing a webinar in which IWG Women and Sport and the Brighton Plus Helsinki Declaration will be presented in more details with guest organisations that have already became the signatories of the declaration.