The Female Friendly Sport Infrastructure Guidelines provide information and advice on how to deliver more gender equitable environments.

The information assists community sport and recreation clubs, governing sport bodies, recreation facility management organisations, as well as local government bodies.

In Victoria, female participation rates in sport and active recreation remain lower than males, particularly in community sport and recreation club settings. The facilities at clubs play a key factor in encouraging female involvement.

As noted by the International Working Group on Women and Sport, “Women’s participation in sport is influenced by the extent, variety and accessibility of facilities. The planning, design and management of these should appropriately and equitably meet the particular needs of the women in the community”.

Historically sporting facilities have been designed primarily to meet the needs of male participants. Today, community sport and recreation facilities are becoming outdated and, in a vast range of venues, do not provide the range of amenities that attract and sustain women and girls throughout their life. To encourage more women and girls to become active and involved in sport and active recreation, user-friendly facilities are required.

Combining cultural change with facility development in order to provide a strong foundation for participation increases is vital. The connection between these foundations can be strengthened through the implementation of the recommendations outlined in the Female Friendly Sport Infrastructure Guidelines.

Read more about the guidelines on the Sport and Recreation Victoria website.