Vol. 23, No. 1
Diane Culver, Penny Werthner, and Guylaine Demers
The International Working Group (IWG) on Women and Sport is the world’s largest network dedicated to advancing gender equity and equality in sport, physical education, and physical activity.
Established in 1994, the IWG advocates and runs programs globally year-round. It developed and remains guardian of the Brighton plus Helsinki 2014 Declaration, which now has the commitment of nearly 600 signatories worldwide (Brighton Declaration | IWGIWG (iwgwomenandsport.org)).
Each of the eight conferences to date - in Brighton, England,1994, in Windhoek, Namibia, 1998, in Montreal, 2002, in Kumamoto, Japan, 2006, in Sydney, Australia, 2010, in Helsinki, Finland, 2014, in Gabarone, Botswana, 2018, and most recently, in Auckland, Aotearoa-New Zealand, 2022 - have produced bold initiatives and significant Declarations.
Signatories of the Brighton plus Helsinki 2014 Declaration, with its “overriding aim to develop a sporting culture that enables and values the full involvement of women in every aspect of sport and physical activity”, include international and regional governmental organizations or coalitions, international multisport organizations, international physical education organizations and forums, international and regional women and sport groups, international sport federations, and national organizations. Signatories within Canada are the Department of Canadian Heritage, Sport Canada, Canadian Women & Sport (formerly CAAWS), Commonwealth Sport Canada, the provinces of Ontario, British Columbia, and Alberta, and Ringette Canada.
Presenters in Auckland included three of Canada’s leading gender equality advocates – Diane Culver, Penny Werthner, and Guylaine Demers – each of whom has a strong connection to the Journal. In this article, they capture the powerful spirit of the conference and confirm that the next generation of women leaders is ready, willing, capable, and unstoppable. - Sheila Robertson, Journal Editor
The views expressed in the articles of the Canadian Journal for Women in Coaching are those of the authors and do not reflect the policies of the Coaching Association of Canada.
