The Federation of the European Sporting Goods Industry (FESI) has released manifesto as part of its StrongHer campaign. In it the industry federation details a series of barriers and recommendations to help promote sport and physical activity among young girls. The publication of the paper was celebrated as part of a football tournament that was organized in cooperation with the Kraainem Football Club (Belgium) and carried out some of the manifesto’s main recommendations.
“Today we are facing a worrying trend: 33 percent of young women between 15 and 24 never exercise or play sport. Yet, most of the barriers to girls’ participation in sport could be overcome with stronger collective effort,” declared Neil Narriman, FESI’s president, during the opening ceremony of the manifesto’s launch. “In line with the European Commission’s #HealthyLifestyle4All initiative, we have decided to join forces within FESI through our StrongHer campaign by promoting good practices and easy-to-implement recommendations,” he added.
In the manifesto, FESI and its members shed light on three key barriers to girls’ participation in sport: body image, access to sports facilities and a sports culture dominated by men. For each of these barriers, the document sets out a number of recommendations aimed at national and European public authorities and sports organizations, as well as the sporting goods industry. Grouped in three categories, the recommendations call for the promotion of women coaches, the creation of an appropriate environment and equipment for girls, and increased recognition of women role models.
