European Women and Sport Conference Limassol, 2009 Amanda Bennett Chair, European Women and Sport Head of Policy, UK Sport

Background Welsh – rugby, music, dance Physical education teacher Women’s Sports Foundation UK Sport Elite rugby player and coach EWS

UK support for EWS History of UK leadership Ministerial endorsement Integrated into UK Sport International Relations Strategy Singapore Vision – London 2012

EWS Main Aim Develop a sports culture of practised gender equality in terms of equal opportunities for girls and boys, women and men with regard to education and training, participation and promotion as well as co-determination in decision-making processes in sport.

EWS Objectives To represent, defend and promote the interests of women in sport at a European level; To help increasing the number of women in decision-making bodies and in the administration of sport at all levels; To educate women for decision-making in sport (e.g. through mentor programmes) To strengthen co-operation and encourage the exchange of experience on women and sport issues among European countries at bilateral and multilateral levels;

Mission for European Women and Sport Develop relationships, tools and frameworks that enable the increased involvement of women in sport in Europe.

EWS Strategy Leadership › Be the voice for women in European sport › Reconnect the network – build communication tools Partnership › Olympic, Paralympic, governmental and non- governmental organisations

EWS Strategy Influence - u se existing legislative and policy frameworks to bring about change › EU Roadmap for Gender Equality › EU White Paper on Women and Sport – EU Policy › EU Resolution on Women and Sport 2003

Leadership is about getting people to do what they don’t want to do in order to achieve what they want to achieve

EWS Steering Group Barbara Aff - Germany Ana Marija Simonovic – Serbia Daniele Salva – France Carmen Trocan - Romania Marianne Soderberg – Sweden Athina Kyriakidou – Cyprus (co-chair) Amanda Bennett – UK (chair) Helen Tan – UK (secretary)

Thank you and we will see you in London in 2011!