This year’s games are set to deliver equal male/female representation thus meeting the crucially significant metric of gender parity for the first time. And, alongside 50% female representation, the games marks an increase in mixed-gender events from 18% at Tokyo 2020 to 22% in Paris.
Achieving equality in the largest sporting event in the world has been a huge challenge. Despite numbers steadily rising with successive Olympics it wasn’t until London 2012 that all participating countries had female Olympians. Achieving the milestone of gender parity highlights the efforts by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and other stakeholders to promote inclusivity and diversity in sports.
Although there has been remarkable progress on a global scale, regions such as Sierra Leone still encounter substantial obstacles. As with difficulty in access to many opportunities taken for granted in more developed regions, sports, particularly for girls, often receives inadequate attention and investment. These difficulties impact not only West Africa, they represent a reality in many areas of the Global South, where poverty and access to basic needs is a palpable reality of daily existence.
Despite these challenges, the Paris 2024 Olympics provides a unique opportunity to inspire and promote gender equality in sports. Girls in Sport will be organising events to celebrate and encourage girls participation, including a mini-Olympics and football tournament. Girls and boys will be able to participate side by side, playing in an environment that is completely gender neutral.
Regions like Sierra Leone remind us of the work that still needs to be done to apply better gender parity globally. By supporting local sport initiatives and sharing inspiring stories, we can help bridge the gap and ensure that sports are inclusive and empowering for all, regardless of gender or nationality.
At the conclusion of the games, after the final ceremonies, and the last accolades are awarded, we can look back in celebration of the success of the 2024 Paris Olympics and the historic milestone we've reached at the oldest sporting event in history, where girls are celebrated as equally capable as boys.
