The Finnish Student Sports Federation (OLL) is the first student sports organization in the world to sign the Brighton Declaration. The overriding aim is to develop a sporting culture that enables and values the full involvement of women in every aspect of sport.

The Finnish Student Sports Federation signed the Brighton Declaration on its 87th anniversary February 11th 2011 as the first student sports organization in the world. The Finnish Student Sports Federations’ President Mr Akseli Hakala and Secretary General Mrs Hilkka Laitinen signed the declaration on the federations’ anniversary reception in Helsinki.

The International Working Group on Women and Sport (IWG) was established in 1994 at the 1st World Conference on Women and Sport held in Brighton. IWG is an independent coordinating body consisting of representatives of key government and non-government organizations from different regions of the world.

 

The Finnish Sports Federation (SLU) has been assigned to chair the International Working Group on Women and Sport from 2010 to 2014. The chairperson for this period is Raija Mattila.

“As the biggest Finnish student organization The Finnish Student Sports Federation is a pioneer and a forerunner in activating the youth in establishing equality work in university sports”, says Chairperson Raija Mattila.” At the IWG we are convinced that OLL will perform well on working through the declarations’ message by improving the rights of girls and women and the equal opportunities in participating on sport culture.”

 

“This is a great honor for the Finnish Student Sports Federation, but still a small step on making women’s status and presence greater in student sports. That is why we are challenging the national and international university sports federations to sign the Brighton Declaration too.” says President of OLL Executive Board Akseli Hakala.