Women in Sport’s 40th anniversary conference

Because Women and Girls Belong: Joining Forces for the Future

40 years ago, our founders joined forces in a small office in a London publishing house and dreamt of change: future where no one was excluded from the joy, fulfilment and lifelong benefits of sport.  

Now in 2024, Women in Sport is the longest-standing charity in its field, with four decades worth of research and insight into women and girls’ experience of sport.

To celebrate our achievements so far, we gathered leaders in sport, politics, education, media, business and charity for our 40th anniversary conference – Because Women and Girls Belong: Joining Forces for the Future – at the Royal Institute of British Architects in London.

What we’re asking for

We’re diving into the big issues shaping the future of sport for women and girls. We’re calling for:  

• Gender budgeting: Sports organisations in receipt of public money should monitor its expenditure and work to allocate funds more equally between men and women. 

• 50/50 leadership: Sports organisations receiving public money should target 50% female representation on their Boards and senior teams.  

• Legislation against misogyny: Legislation and mandatory introduction of policies to tackle and prevent misogyny for sports organisations receiving government funding. 

• Independent Regulator for Sport: A dedicated body should be established to tackle abuse by ensuring adequate safeguarding and duty of care to everyone involved in sport.  

Together, with everyone in the room and in our broader network, we can bring about positive lasting change for women and girls in sport and society. 

Key Highlights

Our 40th anniversary conference called for men and women to stand shoulder to shoulder to consolidate the progress made so far and drive forward greater gender equality. This is essential if we are to ensure women and girls do not miss out on the joy, fulfilment and lifelong benefits it can bring.   

With a balanced audience of women and men, the conference heard from a line-up of powerful and inspiring speakers including and was hosted by Jim Carter, actor and founder of Hampstead Women’s Cricket alongside Women in Sport Chair, Julia Newton.  

Nazir Afzal OBE, former Chief Crown Prosecutor urged action on anti-misogyny laws and independent regulation: “Misogyny has no place in our society. As men, we must step up, not just as allies, but as active advocates for change.”  

Judy Murray OBE called for fair investment in women’s sport, saying: “Sport has the power to transform lives, build resilience and open doors, yet too often, women and girls are still side-lined.” 

Brian Moore, trustee of Women in Sport, reinforced the need for 50/50 leadership: “We are missing out on a wealth of talent that is overlooked by not having equal representation in sports leadership. Currently only 17% of chairs, chief execs and performance director in our most popular 20 sports are female.”  

Our Chief Executive, Stephanie Hilborne OBE, gave this call to action: “In an increasingly fragmented and polarised world, we must unite women and men to dismantle the stereotypes and misogyny that stands in the way. Together, we can join forces for the future – a future where sport is a powerful force of joy, equality, and opportunity.” 

Our sponsors

Special thanks to our longstanding partners, and sponsors of our conference, Wasserman Live, Vitality and Brent Cross Town. With partnerships like these we can continue to create lasting positive change for women and girls in sport and society. 

Photos by Broni Lloyd-Edwards