Participation Opportunities and Pathways for Women and Girls

Throughout history, women and girls have faced misogynistic myths regarding their abilities and performances in sport, insular societal norms about what it means to be a female athlete, as well as discrimination and inequities in the form of access to facilities, coaching, pay and/or other professional opportunities. These inequities continue to exist as sport is still a male dominated institution, rendering sport development for women and girls to be lesser priorities. This chapter explores the evolution \of sport participation for girls, the roles and responsibilities of various sport organisations in developing and delivering sport, and how the design and development of pathways can nurture continued participation. Finally, this chapter provides practical actions to address the issues inherent in championing sport development for women and girls and leads the reader to more critical thought and action on the topic.