Decent Work and Responsible Event Hosting in Women’s Sport

Coming Soon
16 Jul 2025 1:00pm to 16 Jul 2025 6:00pm (CET)
Geneva, Switzerland

You can register now for the event here.

 

Graphic with the logos of the organisations hosting this event, from left to right: the ILO, the Centre for Sport and Human Rights, the Swiss Government, and OHCHR


Coinciding with the UEFA Women's EURO 2025, taking place this summer in Switzerland, the International Labour Organization, the Centre for Sport and Human Rights, the Swiss Government, and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) are pleased to host a high-level symposium on Decent Work and Responsible Event Hosting in Women’s Sport.

This event will bring together a wide range of key players in women’s sport — from governments, employers’ and workers’ organisations, and professional women’s leagues to football associations, player unions, sport governing bodies, event organisers, and civil society groups.

The symposium will look at how working conditions in women’s sport are changing, by tackling topics such as risks in major international competitions, the growth of professional leagues, and how to create fair, safe, and supportive environments for everyone involved.

Together, participants will explore current trends, share ideas, and reflect on strategies to promote decent work across all areas of women’s sport and event organisation.

  • Where: International Labour Organization Headquarters, Geneva.
  • When: 13:00 - 18:00 CET on 16 July 2025.    
  • Languages: Simultaneous interpretation in English, French, and Spanish.
  • Format: In-person and via Zoom (online participants will not be able to join the Q&A sessions following each panel).
  • Reception hosted by the Swiss Government: 18:00 - 19:30 CET.

REGISTER NOW

See the agenda below and register now for the event. The deadline is 9 July. The full programme and speaker lineup will be shared soon.

Go to the registration form

AGENDA

A look at how event organisers and stakeholders addressed labour rights and inclusion for the Women’s EURO 2025. On March 4, 2025, the Swiss Government, Host Cities for the 2025 Women’s Euro, and UEFA signed a Human Rights Declaration, pledging to uphold their responsibilities in preventing human rights abuses and ensuring respect for labour and human rights.

This panel examines:

  1. What opportunities and challenges were identified with respect to conditions of work for those impacted by the event?
  2. What measures did the organisers of the 2025 Women’s EURO, the event owner (UEFA), the host government and relevant stakeholders take to ensure safe conditions for workers, including athletes and officials involved in the event?
  3. How was gender equality pursued and what key learnings can be helpful for future organisers of women’s sporting events?

The panel will reflect on the lessons learned and identify effective practices for future hosts.

An exploration of progress in labour standards and employment practices across women’s leagues. The high-growth trajectory calls for the need to rapidly evolve conditions of work in an increasingly competitive marketplace for players. This discussion examines:

  1. What advances have been made and in what areas, including a showcase of employer initiatives and investment made in player welfare?
  2. What are key learnings or insights?
  3. What are future priorities to sustain momentum?

Promoting environments free from violence and harassment in women's football, including gender-based violence and harassment, remains an essential priority – one that benefits from ongoing, collective commitment and action across all stakeholders. Like their male counterparts, female athletes dedicate their lives to their sports, and it is vital to ensure they can perform in environments that are safe and respectful, both online and offline, and free from all forms of violence and harassment, including physical, psychological, and sexual. Several sports bodies and clubs have taken innovative measures to address this issue. In line with the ILO’s Violence and Harassment Convention, 2019 (No. 190), this panel will explore: 

  1. What are the key factors contributing to the risk of abuse, violence and harassment faced by women athletes?
  2. What changes are needed for designing effective preventive measures (policy, protocols, etc) and promoting a culture of safety, respect, and inclusion in sport including through safe reporting and investigations?
  3. What are the good practices of clubs and players' organisations that address the challenges? 

Download the Concept note

ILO Decent Work And Responsible Event Hosting In Women'S Sport

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