Seminar: Advancing gender equality in sport - insights from signatories of the Brighton Plus Helsinki Declaration
How to become a true champion of equity for women and girls in sport and physical activity and sign the Brighton Plus Helsinki Declaration? How do signatories stay committed over the years to improve gender equality in sport?
This online seminar is organised by ENGSO Equality Within Sport (EWS) Committee, the European representative at the International Working Group (IWG) on Women and Sport Global Executive.
- Date:
12 March 2025
- Time:
12:00-13:30 CET
- Location
Online (Zoom)
Two ENGSO members and signatories of the Brighton Plus Helsinki Declaration will share their insight on the signatory process, its prerequisites and long-term impacts on their efforts and actions for women and sport: the National Olympic Committees of Finland and Montenegro.
Representatives from the IWG Secretariat (UK, 2022-2026) will present the world’s largest network dedicated to advancing equity and equality in sport and physical activity for women and girls, as well as the IWG Global Summit (Birmingham, UK, July 2026)
SPEAKERS:
Kaisa Larjomaa
Kaisa Larjomaa is Public Affairs Manager at the Finnish Olympic Committee and member of the ENGSO EU Advisory Committee. She works with topics such as sport for health and wellbeing, active lifestyle, environment that promotes and enables physical activity, the societal impact of sport, EU sports policy, and EU funding.
Previously, she has worked in journalism and communication roles for various organisations, including the International Working Group on Women and Sport (IWG) Secretariat at the Finnish Sports Confederation Valo, University of the Arts Helsinki, and the Finnish News Agency. In 2018–2020, she worked as Policy Director of ENGSO, the European Sports NGO, based at the European Olympic Committees EU Office in Brussels. In 2021–2022 she worked as International Advocacy Specialist at the Finnish National Youth Council.
Her career in sports policy began in the student movement and university sport, serving e.g. as Chair of the Student Union of the University of Tampere and President of the Finnish Student Sports Federation. Specialised in political communication, she has an Erasmus Mundus Masters joint degree from the Universities of Amsterdam and Aarhus.
Lisa O’Keefe MBE
Lisa O’Keefe MBE is the Secretary General of the International Working Group (IWG) on Women and Sport, which is the world’s largest network dedicated to advancing gender equality in sport. Lisa’s previous role was Executive Director of Insight at Sport England where she led the globally recognised ‘This Girl Can’ campaign.
A former international sportswoman herself, Lisa is an advocate for women’s sport, with extensive knowledge regarding the barriers women and girls face, the need for research and insight to create systemic change, and the value of the IWG for connecting people wanting to make these changes.
Maja Peković
Maja Peković is a dedicated sports administrator and advocate for gender equality in sports. She is the Deputy Secretary General of the Montenegrin Olympic Committee and Chair of its Gender Equality Commission. With extensive experience in international relations, marketing, and strategic sports development, she is pivotal in promoting inclusivity and integrity within the Olympic Movement.
Maja is also an active member of the European Olympic Committees (EOC) Gender Equity Commission and the International Mediterranean Games Committee’s Solidarity, Culture, and Education Commission, as well as a certified Safeguarding Officer by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
The Brighton Plus Helsinki Declaration is a treaty that signifies a commitment to achieving gender equality in sport and physical activity. Nearly 600 organisations around the world are signatories, including several ENGSO member organisations and their member federations/clubs.
