Women’s Sport in Canada:

1. Women’s Sport in Canada: Have We Achieved Gender Equity? M. Ann Hall University of Alberta Canada Presentation to the 5th Annual Congress of the Japan Society for Sport and Gender Studies Kyoto, Japan, July 1-2, 2006

2. Presentation Themes • What have we been doing to bring about gender equity in sport (especially last 10-15 years)? • Strategies employed – what has worked? • Areas of gender inequity still remaining • Relationship of women’s (feminist) movement to achieving gender equity in Canadian sport • Role of feminist academics and researchers in the change process • Future of women’s sport in Canada (and the world)?

3. What have we been doing in Canada to bring about gender equity in sport? Will focus on last 10-15 years

4. 2006 Winter Olympics • Canada won 19 medals • 14 by women • 5 gold medals: 4 in women’s sports • 8 silver medals: 5 by women • 6 bronze medals: 5 by women

6. 2006 Paralympic Winter Games • Canada won 13 medals • 6 by women plus one by a mixed team • 5 gold: 1 by a woman; 1 by a mixed team • 3 silver: 2 by women • 5 bronze: 3 by women

7. Focus Areas: ● Leadership ● Access ● Participation ●Awareness ● Research

8. Examples of women’s sport advocacy organizations in Canada

10. Growth in girls’ and women’s soccer ► 347,228 registered players in 2004 (42% of total) ► more than doubled since 1996

11. Growth in girls’ and women’s ice hockey ► 54, 563 registered players in 2001-02 ► 400% increase in 10 years

12. National campaign to increase the number of coaching opportunities for women, at all levels of sport. • Directed by the Canadian Coaching Association • Provides professional development grants, apprenticeship grants, and National Coaching Institute scholarships • Over 500 women coaches have received some $3,000,000 since 1987 • Development of resources – e.g., Canadian Journal for Women in Coaching

14. ► about 50 universities in Canada ► most have an equity statement of some kind ► 58% of athletic departments have a specific equity statement ► identification of best practices (e.g., special funds to enhance women’s sport programs, detailed action plans to achieve gender equity)

15. Addressing controversial issues

16. Strategies employed – what has worked?

17. Gender equity strategies • 1990s: shift from “equality” to “equity” • Equality = equality of opportunity • Women (and other disadvantaged groups) identified as a target group • Focus is on women themselves • Equity = focus on a system (e.g., sport) • System needs to change to accommodate women

18. Strategies cont’d • Equality focuses on creating the same starting line for everyone • Equity has the goal of providing everyone with the same finish line • Women’s sport advocacy organizations (e.g., CAAWS) endorsed this shift • CAAWS works with other sport organizations to become gender equitable

19. Strategies cont’d • Incorporation of gender equity into Sport Canada policy statements • The goals of the Canadian Sport Policy (2002-2012) are: • enhanced EXCELLENCE • enhanced PARTICIPATION • enhanced CAPACITY • enhanced INTERACTION

20. Strategies cont’d

21. Strategies cont’d • Sport Funding and Accountability Framework (Sport Canada): • National Sport Organizations (NSOs) must have a formal policy or policies demonstrating commitment to equity and access, notably for women, persons with a disability and Aboriginal peoples as athletes, coaches, officials, volunteers and leaders* *A formal policy on women and sport is not required for NSOs which exceed 40% female participation or representation in all areas (athletes, coaches, officials, volunteers and leaders)

22. Strategies cont’d ● Is this funding policy effective? • very difficult to find out (no data available) • many large NSOs do not rely on Sport Canada funding • NSO websites do not mention gender equity policies • NSO “strategic plans” do not mention gender equity • Having a policy and taking action are not the same thing

23. Strategies cont’d • Sophisticated use of information technology • information archived and easily accessible • websites continually updated • electronic newsletters and journals

24. Strategies cont’d ●Legal challenges to inequality • cases brought to federal and provincial human rights commissions • many have been successful • mechanism used less now than in 1970s and 1980s

25. Areas of gender inequity still remaining in Canada

26. Physical Activity Participation • 54% of adult females not active enough to benefit health (compared to 48% of males) • 65% of women (aged 65 and over) not active enough (compared to 50% of men) Source: Canadian Fitness and Lifestyle Research Institute 2004 Physical Activity Monitor

27. Sport Participation • Rates are dropping for Canadian women over 15 years of age • 1992: 38.0% • 1998: 26.0% • 2004: 23.4% (39% for males) • Participation for both genders decreases with age

28. Physical Activity and Sport among Children and Youth • Over half of Canadian teenagersare sedentary • Only 21% are accumulating enough daily activity to meet the international guidelines for optimal growth and development • Teenagers, aged 15 to 19 are more likely to be sedentary than those aged 12 to 14 (51%) • 63% of girls 15-19 years of age are inactive compared to 44% of boys • 55% of girls 12-14 years of age are inactive compared to 43% of boys • Obesity rates among Canadian children and youth are increasing and are among the highest in the world Source: CFLRI 2004 Physical Activity Monitor

29. Diversity Issues • Aboriginal girls and women are often severely disadvantaged and marginalized • Visible minority females (14%) greatly under-represented • Women with disabilities participate much less

30. Women in Sport Leadership • 1.17 million volunteers in organized sport (about 1 in 20 Canadians) • Volunteers: 64% men; 36% women • Coaches: 73% male; 27% female • Executives: 61% male; 39% female Source: A Profile of Community Sport Volunteers (2005)