27th February 2025
This Girl Can: New Phase Empowers All Women to Belong
This Girl Can has launched a new phase of the campaign to push for the change needed for women from all backgrounds to feel they belong in the world of physical activity.
The latest phase of the campaign, ‘Belonging Starts with Inclusion’, fights for the change needed for all women to feel a sense of belonging in the world of sport and physical activity.
It’s driven by the latest research that reveals only one in 10 women from lower-income backgrounds feel they completely belong – highlighting a lack of inclusion, affordability and tailored support.
The new insights, released this week, find that for women on lower incomes from underrepresented groups – including Black women, Asian Muslim women, pregnant women, new mothers, and older women – the challenges and feelings of not being included are even greater.
That’s why, after marking This Girl Can’s 10th anniversary at the start of this year, the campaign is agitating for change to ensure the needs of all women are met.
This Girl Can’s director of marketing, Kate Dale, recognises the progress being made but says it’s vital we find more solutions, such as women-only sessions and more low-impact classes.
“Our new findings are shocking but not surprising,” she said. “So many women feel they’re not made to get active, or that they don’t belong – which means the gender activity gap persists.
“There is an urgent need for more inclusive and welcoming spaces and settings that encourage all women to get moving.
“Since launching 10 years ago, This Girl Can has celebrated and supported millions of women to get active. But this research makes one thing very clear – we’re not reaching every woman, especially those on lower incomes.
“We know that great work is already happening across the industry, with initiatives like inclusive group classes and safer leisure spaces making a difference for many women. However, there’s still more to do.
“To make sport and physical activity truly inclusive, we need to listen to the women who feel left behind and act on what they’re telling us.”
This Girl Can took to the streets of Birmingham this week with a large floor mural representing these left-behind women.
The full-length portraits of three women – Tamiah, 23, from Birmingham; 24-year-old Maria from Manchester; and Christine, 63, from Newcastle – are surrounded by hundreds of real quotes depicting the barriers women face.
The mural artwork brings to life these nuanced needs. As a Muslim woman, Maria struggles with the lack and high cost of women-only spaces, while 63-year-old Christine is yet to find an activity which suits her stage of life.
In their own way, each of the women has felt excluded from getting active due to their backgrounds.
The artwork, titled Some Barriers Are Too Big to Tackle Alone, was designed and illustrated by Paris Anthony-Walker.
On the This Girl Can website you can read more about what the new research has found, the barriers women have said stop them from getting active, and the potential solutions.
This Girl Can is holding a webinar on Thursday, March 27 between 11am-12pm where they will be taking a more in-depth look at the research that has shaped the next phase of the campaign, and how they are using it to guide our approach to engaging our women.
This will also be a chance to find out what resources they are developing for the sector and learn how you can play an integral role in supporting the efforts to tackle inequalities, ensuring no woman is left behind.
