Gender Equality & Sport+ Conference 2025
Connecting for Change
Tuesday, 30 September 2025
IMD, Lausanne – Switzerland
The Annual Conference of the Global Observatory for Gender Equality & Sport provides a collaborative platform for academics, associations, UN Agencies, International Sports Federations, partners and potential supporters to engage all the different stakeholders in meaningful discussions, share experiences, bring in various perspectives, and develop actionable strategies to promote gender equality in sports.
The theme for this year’s conference is Connecting for Change.
Connecting for Change reflects the GO’s mission to catalyze collective action between multisectoral stakeholders around the world. It symbolizes the necessity for coordinated, collaborative and democratized knowledge and data sharing as an essential way to continue to advance gender equality in and through Physical Education, Physical Activity, and Sport (PEPAS) for all women and girls. This year’s conference explores political, practical and innovative approaches being used to strengthen gender equality and sport+.
The aims of the Gender Equality and Sport + Conference are to:
Showcase new knowledge, research, good practices, and lessons learnt by stakeholders working to advance gender equality in PEPAS, highlighting sector-wide challenges, successes and developments, while continuing to identify areas that require attention and further enquiry.
Foster networking and engagement among global stakeholders by strengthening cross-sector connections and collaboration including among public institutions, civil society and others.
Break knowledge silos and enhance cross-sector collaboration and facilitate cross-sector knowledge exchange by addressing shared challenges, successes, and emerging trends.
Equip the sector with resources, best practice sand evidence-based tools, that have the potential to enhance their capacities to address gender inequalities in context specific ways.
Demonstrate the importance of high-quality, shared data, and present new insights on measuring and tracking gender equality in PEPAS.
The program will feature keynote addresses, interviews, Q&As, panel discussions, plenaries, visual presentations, and networking sessions. Speakers will include members of the GO Advisory Council, GO network, partners, researchers, government representatives, United Nations entities, and experts from sport and non-sport sectors.
By offering this international platform, the Global Observatory aims to foster a collaborative environment where all participants can contribute to creating a more inclusive and equitable sporting world.
Alongside the conference, the Board, Expert Group, Academic Partners, and General Assembly of the Global Observatory will convene for their respective meetings.
Venues
Mövenpick Hotel
The four-star Mövenpick Hotel Lausanne is the official hotel of the Gender Equality & Sport+ Conference 2025. Located in the Ouchy district of Lausanne, it is just a few minutes away from the conference venue, the train station and Lake Geneva.
The Mövenpick Hotel Lausanne is the perfect destination for business or leisure travellers to discover the charm and hospitality of Lausanne.
The hotel was originally built in 1988 and was renovated in 2020. There are two restaurants, a terrace, and bar offering a superb view of the lake.
IMD business school
IMD is a top-ranked business school which specializes in developing global leaders through high-impact executive education. IMD focuses on real-world executive development; it offers Swiss excellence with a global perspective; and has a flexible, customized and effective approach.
IMD is an independent academic institute with strong ties to business and a clear focus on creating impact.
The institute supports the transition to a new model that balances prosperity and growth with ecological sustainability and social inclusion. Sustainability, as well as diversity, equity, and inclusion, are core principles embedded within its framework.
register now!
Gender Equality & Sport+ Conference 2025 seeks to facilitate exploration of developments in data and research, explore emerging challenges and innovations in gender equality work, and highlight opportunities for collaboration to sustain collective efforts towards more inclusive Physical Education, Physical Activity, and Sport policy and practice around the world. Join us!
Delegates
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- GO Annual Conference on Tuesday 30 September
- Including lunch & cocktail
- EventApp & Networking
- Post Event Report
Interested in joining the GO network? Contact us info@genderequalitysport.org
Members
- Advisory Council meeting on Monday 29 September
- GO Annual Conference on Tuesday 30 September
- Including lunch & cocktail
- EventApp & networking
- Post Event Report
for media, please register here
logistical information
Visa
It is the responsibility of the participants to obtain a visa if needed. Please check the visa requirements for your nationality. Overviews of ID and visa provisions vary according to nationality.
Schengen visas are valid for Switzerland and for all other Schengen member states (providing nothing to the contrary is noted on the visa).
If you have any questions, contact the Swiss Embassy responsible for the area in which you reside: Swiss representations.
If the visa is not granted on time, the cancellation policy will be applied.
Weather
September temperatures range from 10°C (50°F) at night (minimum night temperature) and around max 21°C in the daytime (max day temperature of 70°F). For the current weather forecast, please click here.
Electricity
time zone
Central European Time (CET)
(GMT+2:00)
Global Equality & Sport+ Conference 2024
The Global Observatory for Gender Equality & Sport (GO) successfully held first annual conference on Gender Equality & Sport+ at the iconic Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland, on October 8th.
With the powerful theme, From Research to Action, the conference aimed to share key insights from research and best practices in the field. It provided simultaneously an essential platform for key stakeholders in the sports ecosystem to connect and stimulate collaboration in their pursuit of gender equality across all areas and levels of sport. Participants included influential government officials, leaders from international sports federations, UN agencies, esteemed academics, advocacy groups, and private foundations, all coming together to share the latest research and best practices.
The report highlights insights, major discussions, and key takeaways from the Annual GO Conference 2024. Read it here and revisit the GO Annual Conference’s most impactful moments and gain valuable insights on gender equality & sport+.
Photos of the Global Equality & Sport+ Conference 2024
View more pictures of the event on the photo gallery page
This event is organised with the support of
