Toolkit for a sports ecosystem with a gender perspective

This toolkit is a practical resource developed by UN Women in collaboration with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to support sports organizations and institutions in integrating gender equality across all levels of sports. Recognizing sports as a universal language and a powerful driver of social transformation, the toolkit provides guidance, indicators, good practices, and pathways for action to accelerate progress towards Sustainable Development Goal 5.

Designed as a strategic roadmap, the toolkit supports a wide range of stakeholders—from national Olympic committees and federations to governments and community-based organizations—in embedding a gender perspective into their governance systems, policies, and operational practices. It builds on the “Guidelines for gender-responsive sports organizations” and aligns with both the Sports for Generation Equality Framework and the Olympic Agenda 2020+5, ensuring coherence with international standards and global commitments.

The toolkit is structured around six core principles for action:

• Strengthening women’s leadership and representation in sports governance.
• Preventing and responding to violence against women and girls in sports.
• Reducing the investment gap and promoting equal economic opportunities.
• Ensuring equal opportunities for girls in sports from early ages.
• Advancing diverse, unbiased, and equitable representation in sports media.
• Monitoring and publicly reporting progress on a regular basis.

By offering concrete, actionable guidance, the toolkit supports stakeholders in making sport a safer, more inclusive, and transformative space that promotes social cohesion, economic empowerment and well-being for women and girls.