The Global Observatory for Gender Equality & Sport+ Conference 2026 brought together participants from all over the world in Lausanne on 29 September to explore how evidence, measurement and investment can help translate commitments on gender equality in sport+ into meaningful action.
Under the theme Measure To Matter, the conference convened representatives from governments, international and national sport organisations, academia, civil society and the sport for development sector, creating a space to connect evidence with policy, practice and lived experience.
Throughout the day, keynote conversations, panel discussions and interactive sessions explored three central areas:
- From data to policy to impact: examining how evidence can strengthen governance and support the translation of international commitments into national priorities and action.
- Measuring what matters for girls: looking beyond participation numbers to better understand girls’ experiences, empowerment, health, leadership and long-term engagement in sport.
- Investment and gender budgeting: exploring how financial decisions can advance — or constrain — progress towards gender equality, and how resources can be directed more effectively.
Across these conversations, a recurring message emerged: measurement matters when it leads to action. Data can identify gaps and track progress, but meaningful change also requires listening to lived experiences, investing in what works and ensuring that evidence informs decisions at every level.
Alongside the main programme, interactive breakout sessions created opportunities for participants to engage with practical approaches and tools, while dedicated networking moments encouraged exchange and new connections across sectors and regions.
Poster Exhibition
The conference also featured a dedicated Poster Exhibition, showcasing research, initiatives, policies, programmes and practical approaches related to gender equality in and through sport. The poster walk provided a space for participants and authors to exchange directly, share experiences and explore emerging evidence and ideas from different contexts.
The 2026 Conference reinforced the importance of bringing diverse actors together — not only to generate and discuss evidence, but to consider how it can be transformed into better policies, stronger investment and more meaningful outcomes for girls and women in sport.
The GO Gender Equality & Sport+ Conference 2026 Report will be published soon. Stay tuned.
Discover the Panels & Speakers
Panel 1
From Data to Policy to Impact: Evidence-Informed Governance for Gender Equality
In this panel we:
- Examine how research and data are translated into to inform gender equality policies, strategies and programmes.
- Explore how organisations identify, interpret and apply evidence in decision-making.
- Consider how evidence influences priorities, resource allocation and organisational goals.
- Discuss how organisations commission and use research, and what supports or limits its impact and implementation.
- Address how monitoring and evaluation measure the impact of evidence-informed decisions for women and girls.
Desiree Jason
Desiree Jason (she/her) is a Senior Manager for Monitoring and Evaluation at South Africa’s National Department of Social Development, where she supports evidence-based policy and programmes aimed at improving outcomes for vulnerable communities. Her work includes strengthening the use and sharing of social protection administrative data across government to improve service delivery to marginalised groups. She has also contributed to South Africa’s digital transformation strategy and leads a gender empowerment project focused on sanitary dignity for vulnerable schoolgirls. Desiree is a social justice activist, and passionate about fostering partnerships across sectors to ensure everyone has a fair chance to thrive.
Joel Atienza
Joel Atienza (he/him) is Senior Officer for Youth and Sports at the Education, Youth and Sports Division of the ASEAN Secretariat. He coordinates regional cooperation with ASEAN senior officials and partners across the youth and sports sectors and contributes to the development, implementation and monitoring of ASEAN Work Plans on Youth and Sports. His work includes programmes promoting youth empowerment and the contribution of sport to socio-economic development. Joel brings more than 15 years of experience in regional cooperation, research, policy and planning, programme management and strategic planning.
Dr Lyndsay Hayhurst
Lyndsay Hayhurst (she/her) is an Associate Professor in the School of Kinesiology and Health Science at York University in Toronto and a Tier 2 York Research Chair in Sport, Gender & Climate Mobility Justice through Digital Participatory Research. She is Director of the DREAMING (Digital participatory Research in Equity, Access, Mobility, Innovation and Gender) in Sport Collaboratory. As a feminist participatory action researcher, Lyndsay works collaboratively with diverse community partners in a range of global contexts to examine social justice and inequalities in and through sport and recreation. Her research spans sport for development, gender equity and participatory approaches to knowledge creation and mobilisation.
Dr Peter Gelius
Dr Peter Gelius (he/him) is an Assistant Professor of Physical Activity and the Life Course at the Institute of Sport Sciences at the University of Lausanne and a collaborator of the Global Observatory of Physical Activity (GOPA!). With doctorates in political science and sport science, his research covers physical activity policy, participatory approaches to health promotion and sustainable physical activity. He has served as an adviser to the World Health Organization and the European Commission. He is also affiliated with the WHO Collaborating Centre for Physical Activity and Public Health at FAU Erlangen Nuremberg.
Paulo Barone
Paulo Barone (he/him) is a sustainability and development leader with more than 25 years of international experience. After leading sustainability programmes for Nespresso across 20 countries, he supported the FIVB in establishing the Volleyball Foundation in 2023. He joined the FIVB in 2024 and contributes to the development of its strategies on sport development, climate action and gender equality. His work focuses on integrating gender equality and sustainability into the organisation’s strategies and activities.
Panel 2
What About Girls? Measuring What Matters Beyond Participation
In this panel we:
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Examine what data reveals, and misses, about girls’ participation across diverse contexts.
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Explore approaches that capture girls’ experiences, empowerment, leadership and long-term engagement.
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Discuss how girls and young people can help shape research, policies and programmes.
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Reflect on how evidence informs programme design, coaching, evaluation and sustainability.
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Address the challenges of collecting and using data on marginalised girls whose experiences are often overlooked.
Emily Cameron-Blake
Emily Cameron-Blake (she/her) is the founder and Director of Global Sports Policy Ltd, where she advises sport organisations, governments and governing bodies on policy issues including safeguarding, gender equality, governance and athlete welfare. A former Canadian national team rower and World Championship medallist, Emily brings her experience as an elite athlete to her work on sport policy. She is also a doctoral candidate and teaching fellow at the University of Edinburgh, where her research focuses on duty of care for elite and professional athletes. Emily serves on the board of WomenSport International, leading its policy and advocacy work on gender equality in sport and physical activity.
Allan Williams
Allan Williams (he/him) is CEO of the Sport for Social Change Network Africa, a continental network supporting organisations using sport for social impact across 23 African countries. He also contributes to the African Union Sports Council’s work on sport for development and safeguarding and is a member of the global Sport Funders Alliance. An Ashoka Fellow, Allan has extensive experience in civil society, youth development and sport for social change. He previously chaired the UNESCO CIGEPS Subcommittee in South Africa, supporting implementation of the Kazan Action Plan and the Sustainable Development Goals through sport.
Theren Bullock Jr
Theren Bullock Jr (he/him) is Head of the FIBA Foundation, where he leads its Basketball for Good Unit. Working through partnerships around the world, he supports initiatives that use basketball as a tool for social development and community impact. His work focuses on strengthening inclusion, education, health and gender equality through sport, with particular attention to creating opportunities for young people and underserved communities.
Khalida Popal
Khalida Popal (she/her) is the founder of Girl Power Organisation and a former cofounder of the Afghanistan Women’s National Football Team. She advocates for gender equality in sport and the inclusion of refugees, drawing on her experience as a player, team leader and activist. Through Girl Power Organisation, she uses football to support leadership, empowerment and social change among women and girls, including those from displaced and refugee communities.
Tiago Guilherme
Tiago Guilherme (he/him) is Managing Director of ENGSO Youth, an independent body of the European Non Governmental Sports Organisation (ENGSO). He develops and leads initiatives and advocacy aimed at increasing youth participation in sport governance. Tiago previously worked at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Timor Leste. In 2020, he joined the Permanent Representation of Portugal to the European Union, where he followed youth and sport matters during the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
Talia Kaufman
Talia Kaufman (she/her) is Senior Programmes Manager at sportanddev, where she oversees project management and communications and contributes to fundraising, partnerships, strategy and governance. She has experience in sport for development, sexual and reproductive health and rights education, and youth participation. Talia has worked with the Olympic Refuge Foundation to advocate for the inclusion of displaced young people through sport. She has also developed training and play based life skills curricula with teams in several countries.
Sally Hassona
Sally Hassona is Head Coach of the Women’s Boxing National Project for Olympic Champions at Egypt’s Ministry of Youth and Sport and Founder of Impact Academy Egypt. An Egyptian Australian sports leader, boxing coach and educator, she is also a UNESCO country researcher, Member of the African Union Sports Council Women and Girls in Sport Working Group, and doctoral researcher at the University of Derby. Her work uses sport to advance gender equality, leadership and STEM opportunities for girls, with support from the International Olympic Committee, Women Win and other international partners.
Panel 3
Investment and Budgeting in Sport
In this panel we:
- Draw attention to where funding for women and girls in sport flows, and where gaps remain.
- Shed light on how public, private and development funding can support inclusive, sustainable sport.
- Discuss gender-responsive approaches to measuring impact and informing future investment.
- Highlight how research and evidence drive products and ventures for women and girls in sport.
Claudia Glass
Claudia Glass (she/her) is the founder and CEO of Swijin, a Zurich-based sportswear company focused on developing performance solutions specifically for women. Drawing on research in female biomechanics, Claudia partnered with Empa, Switzerland’s materials science and technology research institute, to develop a patented integrated breast stability system tested with athletes across several sports. Her work sits at the intersection of entrepreneurship, women’s sport, science and innovation, with a focus on addressing gaps in products and investment designed around female athletes. Swijin has received support from Innosuisse and recognition through the Entrepreneurship World Championship.
Luke Southall
Luke Southall (he/him) is Co-Founder of Remedy, an organisation working to strengthen access to resources and funding across the global sport-for-good sector. With more than 16 years of experience in sport for development, he specialises in resource mobilisation, strategy and organisational capacity building and has supported organisations across the sporting ecosystem to secure more than €60 million in funding. Previously Managing Director of Oaks Consultancy, Luke has worked with organisations including UEFA, World Rugby, Special Olympics and Laureus Sport for Good. He is also a trustee of The Change Foundation and co-founded the Sport Fundraising Summit.
Dr Yetsa A. Tuakli-Wosornu
Dr Yetsa A. Tuakli-Wosornu (she/her) is an Associate Professor and Founding Director of the Sports Equity Lab at Stanford University. The athlete led research and innovation platform examines performance through the lens of empathy and translates athletes’ experiences into research and technology supporting sustainable performance across sport and society. A former professional track athlete who represented Ghana, Dr Tuakli-Wosornu is also a practising sports medicine physician. She brings athletic experience, clinical practice and research expertise to her work.
Alessandro Mancini
Alessandro Mancini (he/him) is the focal point for the Finance in Common Coalition for Sustainable Development Through Sport. He supports partnerships and investment initiatives that position sport as a contributor to inclusive and sustainable development. His work brings together public development banks, international organisations, sport institutions and private partners to develop governance frameworks, mobilise financing and translate institutional commitments into projects and investment opportunities.
Kitty Macklin
Kitty Macklin (she/her) is Learn Manager at Women Win, a global women’s fund, where she leads monitoring, evaluation, learning and impact across a diverse portfolio. Her work includes programmes and funds that seek to advance gender justice in and through sport. Drawing on her background in gender studies and more than eight years at Women Win, she promotes participatory and feminist approaches to understanding and measuring programme impact.
Breakout Sessions
Expert-led workshops fostering dialogue, reflection and collaborative problem-solving.
Session 2: From Lived Experience to Better Safeguarding: Inclusive Evidence and Meaningful Participation (led by Sport & Rights Alliance)
Emma Thomas
Emma Thomas is a safeguarding and lived-experience consultant, trustee of Safe Sport International and member of the Advisory Council of the Sport & Rights Alliance’s Athletes Network for Safer Sports, which facilitates collaboration among athletes and allies impacted by abuse in sport. As the founder of Under the Ropes, she works to advance safeguarding and LGBTQ+ inclusion in combat sports. Her work focuses on survivor-centred and trauma-informed approaches, rooted in her lived experience as a survivor of sexual violence in sport and 10+ years of survivor advocacy.
Laura May
Laura May (she/her) works on gender and diversity in sport at Sportieq in Belgium. Since joining the organisation in 2020, she has helped develop the Genderscan and guidance on the inclusion of sex and gender diverse people in sport. She advises sport organisations on inclusive policy and delivers workshops on gender equality, diversity and hate speech. Laura also contributes to the LGBTIQ+ Sport Observatory project led by the European Gay and Lesbian Sport Federation.
Poster Exhibition
Showcasing initiatives, projects, research, policies, and innovations related to the participation of girls and women in sport. These posters provide an opportunity to highlight practical experiences, emerging ideas, and evidence from different contexts.
Have a look at the line-up before-hand as we have structured time to engage directly with authors and discuss their work in more depth.