UN Women has entered into a landmark partnership with the International Working Group on Women and Sport (IWG) to advance gender equality in sports globally. The agreement aims to harness the transformative power of sport to empower women and girls, strengthen advocacy movements, and drive systemic change. Through the new Memorandum of Understanding, both organizations will collaborate with governments, sports federations, and civil society to foster coalitions and encourage policy, practice, and cultural shifts that enhance women’s rights and leadership.
The partnership also secures UN Women’s support for the upcoming IWG Global Summit 2026 in Birmingham, a flagship event that will convene leaders and advocates from around the world to promote women’s participation and leadership in sport.
The MOU was signed in New York during the 80th UN General Assembly by Sarah Hendriks, Director of Policy, Programme and Intergovernmental Division at UN Women, and Annamarie Phelps CBE OLY, Chair of IWG. Sarah Hendriks emphasized that the collaboration will combine UN Women’s normative and programmatic expertise with IWG’s convening power and technical knowledge to accelerate systemic change in the global sports ecosystem, ensuring that sport becomes a platform where women and girls can participate, lead, and thrive.
Annamarie Phelps highlighted the importance of the partnership in preparing for the IWG Global Summit, noting that UN Women’s support will help engage global stakeholders and contribute valuable insights to the summit’s programming. Both leaders expressed optimism that the strengthened collaboration will accelerate progress toward gender equality in sports and contribute to broader Sustainable Development Goals.
