Women’s health and gender equality in sport: Insights from the Council of Europe roundtable discussion

Women’s health and gender equality in sport: Insights from the Council of Europe roundtable discussion

On 7 March 2025, ahead of International Women’s Day, the Council of Europe’s EPAS hosted a Breakfast Roundtable on Women’s Health and Sport. The event gathered experts, athletes, and policymakers to address critical health issues affecting women in sport.

The event opened with remarks from Gianluca Esposito, (Human Rights and Rule of Law, Council of Europe) and Baz Moffat (The Well HQ), highlighting the key challenges and opportunities related to female health in sport. Discussions focused on physical and mental health challenges female athletes face, including overtraining, eating disorders, and menstrual health, pelvic floor issues, maternity, and menopause mental health and injury prevention. The first panel featured athletes and sports professionals discussing their experiences with health-related challenges and ways to overcome them. The second panel, led by Francine Hetherington Raveney (Council of Europe) focused on raising awareness and implementing systemic changes at a pan-European level. The event concluded with remarks from Charlotte Girard-Fabre (International Federation of Sports Officials) and Sophie Kwasny (Council of Europe), reinforcing the need for continued efforts in women’s health in sport. The presence and contribution of the EOC EU Office to the discussion on “Raising Awareness and Implementing Change” reflects its longstanding commitment to gender equality, as demonstrated through its EU-funded projects GAMES and EmpowHER.

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