IWG Women Sport’s Brighton Plus Helsinki Declaration Signed by World Rugby at 2025 Women’s Summit

World Rugby signed the International Working Group (IWG) on Women and Sport’s Brighton Plus Helsinki Declaration on the opening day of World Rugby’s Women Summit.

Feature Photo Credit – IWG Women and Sport

The governing body says the “declaration is an international treaty that has become a road map to support the ongoing development of a fairer and equitable system of sport and physical activity, fully inclusive of women and girls.” Other signatories include the International Olympic Committee, FIFA (football), FIA (motorsport) and UCI (cycling) as international federations that are signatories to the treaty.

What Does Signing This Mean for World Rugby?

As a signatory, World Rugby is committed to further “developing strategies, activities and programmes that support women and girls in 10 principles, covering all elements of sport and physical activity from participation to leadership and from governance to visibility.”

World Rugby Chief of Women’s Rugby Sally Horrox said; “World Rugby and our wider sport know that the women’s game is our biggest area for growth over the coming years. That is why we’ve put in place a series of plans and strategies to support women and girls to play rugby wherever they are.

In signing the Brighton Plus Helsinki Declaration, we pledge to continue that work in all aspects of our sport, ensuring that Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 is not the pinnacle of what we can achieve but a great foundation to push on to bigger and better things.”

Photo Credit – IWG Women and Sport

What Are The Principles of the Brighton Plus Helsinki Declaration?

Lisa O’Keefe MBE added: “I am absolutely delighted that World Rugby has chosen the closing stages of their record-breaking Rugby World Cup 2025 to sign the IWG Brighton plus Helsinki Declaration here in London as part of their Women’s Rugby Global Summit 2025.

The IWG has enjoyed a long and valued partnership with World Rugby. We regularly showcase their approach to growing the game for women and girls as examples for others to learn from, and I encourage anyone committed to advancing gender equality in and through sport to explore World Rugby’s approach and resources available on their website. I am thrilled that their ongoing commitment to the growth of the women’s and girls’ game is paying off so spectacularly.”

The 10 Principles of the Brighton Plus Helsinki Declaration are:

1. Principle 1. Equity and Equality in Society and Sport
2. Principle 2. Facilities
3. Principle 3. School and Youth Sport
4. Principle 4. Developing Participation
5. Principle 5. High Performance Sport
6. Principle 6. Leadership in Sport
7. Principle 7. Education, Training and Development
8. Principle 8. Sport Information and Research
9. Principle 9. Resources
10. Principle 10. Domestic and International Cooperation

World Rugby has been invited to attend the IWG Global Summit on Women’s Sport in 2026.

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