Ahead of International Women’s Day on Friday, the Youth Sport Trust welcomes the cross-party Women and Equalities Committee’s report into health barriers for girls and women. We have sought to find ways to ensure that PE, sport and physical activity are relevant, motivating and accessible for girls for nearly 30 years, and are delighted to see political leaders joining us in calling for urgent action to empower and inspire more girls to be active.

Ali Oliver, CEO of Youth Sport Trust added:

“We know there are many barriers for girls when it comes to taking part in physical activity and sport, but evidence shows that targeted interventions work. 97% of leaders and 58% of participants on our Girls Active programme in schools felt more confident to take part in sport and physical activity after taking part in the programme, with similar figures reported for increased enjoyment. Learning lessons from programmes such as this, providing safe places for physical activity and re-imagining PE to make it a core subject, will have a huge impact on the health and wellbeing of girls and young women.”

Our annual survey of girls in schools helps us to understand their attitudes, motivations and feelings towards PE and sport. Worryingly, last year’s Girls Active survey found only 64% of girls said they enjoyed PE, down from 74% in 2015. Participation remains a concern, with only 45% of girls achieving the recommended 60 active minutes each day. Low participation and enjoyment are a concern, and mean too many girls are missing out on being active leading to poorer physical, social and mental wellbeing.

More positively, nearly two thirds of all girls want to be more active in school but are restricted by barriers including a lack of confidence, having their period, being watched by others and worrying how they look. It is encouraging to see the Committee putting forward ideas that can help turn that enthusiasm into participation by removing the barriers that persist. This includes acting in response to feedback from girls on PE kits, heeding their message that girls want to wear something which is comfortable and allows them to focus on activity rather than body image.

We echo the Committee’s acknowledgement of the role that PE can play in education around girl’s health and physiology. Our belief is that this should be part of a new vision for PE, focused on developing physically literate children, healthy learners and active citizens, and facilitated by the delivery of a comprehensive PE teacher training programme reimagining the experiences and outcomes of PE.

We also welcome the Committee’s recommendation for greater action to target parents in order to reduce gender stereotypes and encourage participation. This should form part of a wider ambition to change attitudes and deliver opportunities to inspire every child to be active for 60 minutes a day, as recommended by the UK’s Chief Medical Officers. By providing high-quality, varied opportunities to be active we can support every girl to find a passion for movement and enable them to access the enormous benefits that come from being physically active.

Finally, the Committee’s report proposes further expansion of the National Physical Activity Task Force. The Task Force’s ambition – to improve cross-government working to increase the effectiveness of policy making and delivery – is one we share, and getting the right voices around the table is vital. The Task Force’s initial discussions have been positive, and we are pleased that children’s needs have been a focal point. However, we know young people will rightly judge political leaders on their actions and impact rather than words. The Committee’s report is an important contribution to the debate, and we hope the proposals within can stir debate and provide the impetus for further positive change to support girls and women to be more active.