What we've been up to...
Sport policy, research, and consultancy is often about advocacy and on-the-ground work with athletes, non-governmental organisations, governing bodies of sport, inter-governmental bodies and supranational organisations.
Follow along for some of the work that Emily and Global Sports Policy Ltd has been up to.
March 2025, UN NGO Commission on the Status of Women, UN Headquarters, New York
As a board member of WomenSport International, Emily and WSI president Diane Huffman presented alongside the Women's Sport Foundation on the progress made in achieving gender equality in sport and physical activity for women and girls since the 1995 Beijing Declaration and Beijing Platform for Action. In line with her expertise in policy and politics of sport, Emily presented on the current and persistent barriers to equality and equity in sport for women and girls. ​
Feb 2025, Evolve to Thrive kickoff
In partnership with Switch the Play Foundation, Emily is part of a mentorship programme for elite and professional athletes as they begin their journey into post-sport life and retirement. Kicking off the 10 month programme in Birmingham with the rest of the mentor team and the Dame Kelly Holmes Trust.
October 2024, UNECE Beijing Regional Review Meeting, Geneva
In October, Emily attended the UNECE Beijing Regional Review Meeting and NGO CSW consultations on progress towards achieving the recommendations in the Beijing Declaration and Beijing Platform for Action on behalf of WomenSport International. No nation states present reported progress or statistics on gender equality in sport, physical activity or physical education.
July 2024, UNESCO "Change the Game" conference, Paris
23-24 July, on behalf of WomenSport International, Emily and Dr. Margo Mountjoy attended the UNESCO "Change the Game" international sport conference focused on Gender Based Violence in sport, safeguarding in sport, gender equality in sport, and accountable sporting systems.
July 2024, new BJSEM publication
"What did we learn about elite student-athlete mental health systems from the COVID-19 pandemic?"
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A qualitative research study investigating the lessons learned about how to handle and manage elite student-athlete mental health during uncertain, and quickly changing environments and circumstance.
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Find the article HERE.
August 2023, UNESCO handbook on Tackling Violence against Women and Girls
Following the launch panel discussion at the MINEPS conference in Baku, Azerbaijan, the UNESCO Handbook on Tackling Violence against Women and Girls in Sport was published in full on the UNESCO website.
Emily was part of the peer review team for this document, and made recommendations on policy interventions for any nation, governing body or sport program to easily implement.
To this day, there remains no international framework on defining or dealing with abuse/violence in sport.
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The handbook can be found HERE.
June 2023, UNESCO MINEPS7 International Sport Conference, Baku, Azerbaijan
As a peer reviewer for the UNESCO Handbook on Tackling Violence against Women and Girls in Sport, Emily was invited to speak on the side event launching the handbook with UNESCO Assistant Director-General Gabriela Ramos.