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The Brighton Plus Helsinki Declaration

On 26 September 2025, World Rugby signed the Brighton Plus Helsinki declaration.

What is the Brighton Plus Helsinki declaration?

In 1994, the Brighton declaration was created and in 2014, this was updated to the Brighton Plus Helsinki declaration thanks to the International Working Group on women and girls in sport.

There are ten principles detailed here with a brief description from the Declaration.

1. Equity and Equality in Society and Sport

“Equal opportunity to participate and be involved in sport and physical activity, whether for the purpose of leisure and recreation, health promotion or high performance, is the right of every woman, whatever her race, colour, language, religion, creed, sexual orientation or identity, age, marital status, ability/disability, political belief or affiliation, national or social origin.”

2. Facilities

“The planning, design and management of these [facilities] should appropriately and equitably meet the particular needs of women and girls in the community, with special attention given to the need for childcare provision, safe transport and safety during participation and performance.”

3. School and Youth Sport

“Those responsible for sport, education, recreation and physical education of young people should ensure that an equitable range of opportunities and learning experience, which accommodate the values, attitudes and aspirations of girls, is incorporated in programmes to develop physical literacy and basic motor skills of young people.”

4. Developing Participation

“Those responsible for delivering sporting opportunities and programmes should provide and promote activities which meet women’s needs and aspirations during their whole lifespan from childhood to elderly women.”

5. High Performance Sport

“Governments and sports organisations should provide equal opportunities for women to reach their sports performance potential by ensuring that all activities and programmes relating to performance improvements take account of the specific needs of female athletes, and that these are built into sustainable infrastructures for developing sports performance.”

6. Leadership in Sport

“Women remain under-represented in the leadership and decision making of all sport and sport related organisations. Those responsible for these areas should develop policies and programmes and design structures which increase the number of women coaches, advisers, decision makers, officials, administrators, and sports personnel at all levels, with special attention given to recruitment, mentoring, empowerment, reward, and retention of women leaders.”

7. Education, Training and Development

“Those responsible for the education, training, and development of female and male coaches and other personnel, as well as managers and leaders in the delivering sport and physical activity should ensure that education processes and experiences address issues relating to gender equity and the needs of female athletes, including a safe and secure environment, equitably reflect women’s role in sport and physical activity and take account of women’s leadership experiences, values and attitudes.”

8. Sport Information and Research

“Those responsible for research and providing information on sport should develop policies and programmes to increase knowledge and understanding about women and sport and ensure that research norms and standards are based on research on women and men.”

9. Resources

“Those responsible for the allocation of resources should ensure that support is available for sportswomen, women`s programmes and special measures to advance this Declaration of Principles.”

10. Domestic and International Cooperation

“Government and non-government organisations should incorporate the promotion of issues of gender equity and the sharing of examples of good practice in women and sport and physical activity policies and programmes in their associations with other organisations, within both domestic and international arenas.”

To read about these in more detail, check out the IWG page here.

Why does this declaration matter to rugby?

This is a big development for rugby as it demonstrates the sport’s commitment to women, equality and equity, opportunity, education and competition. It brings rugby in line with other sports such as F1A, FIFA and the International Olympic Committee and means that women and girls can expect more.

This declaration makes rugby accountable to women, girls and their allies. Let’s see how rugby across the world develops.

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