The European Hockey Federation (EHF) has read with interest the article from Nancy Gillen – Inside the Games on the current situation in relation to gender equality in many Sports Governing bodies.
Speaking today to the EHF’s President Marijke Fleuren, the EHF would like to go on record to say that “We in the EHF take gender balance as a very serious and important matter. We do not believe that as a 50/50 sport on the field we can continue to have half of our playing membership well under-represented in all areas of leadership. I know that we have incredibly capable women and men working in the hockey family and that it is by working together that we will make better decisions for the future of our sport.”
The EHF has taken tangible actions to address this and since the start of 2019 we have already accomplished the following:
- The EHF Executive Board has now 50/50 representation (women and men)
- In March 2019 we launched the inaugural Women’s Leadership Forum
- In June 2019 we launched our Equally Amazing Campaign advocating gender balance at all levels of the game
- In August 2019 the Gender Balance Charter for Europe was signed by our Member Associations at our General Assembly, with each Association pledging to do better
- In September 2019 our Executive Board agreed to new terms of reference for all Committees in order to ensure that each Committee will have a minimum of 30% representation from either gender
- At Easter 2020 we will have the first EHL women and men, with the same conditions of prize money and TV Broadcasting
Marijke added “We do not see gender balance as a ‘hobbyhorse’ or ‘bandwagon’ but through the fantastic SWing project (Co-funded by the Erasmus + programme of the European Union), of which we are a partner, we are looking to find pathways for women to step up into leadership roles. For me and my fellow Board members, gender balance is a pillar of the workings of hockey. We know that it cannot be achieved overnight, which is why the SWing project, Women Leadership forums and us showcasing our Equally Amazing campaign are vital components of our daily working lives.”