who we are
Equal Playing Field (EPF) is a grassroots, non-profit initiative to challenge gender inequality in sport and to promote sports development for girls and women globally, especially in marginalised country contexts. Specifically it is a catalyst organisation that aims to ensure opportunity, equality and respect for girls and women in sport and in life, and does this through a combination of high-profile challenges, implementing grassroots training and empowerment programmes through local and international partnerships, and through its global communications and advocacy platform. Through its players, coaches, referees, mentors and partners so far EPF has representation in 32 countries on 6 continents, all dedicated to elevating the conversation around women in sport and impacting genuine change at the elite and grassroots levels.
OPPORTUNITY
EQUALITY
RESPECT
All women and girls should be able to play, work and lead in sport, and have access to quality sporting opportunities in their local communities
Women and girls in sport should be valued and treated equally to men and boys, including representation and influence over decision-making.
Women deserve to be recognised and supported as athletes, referees, and coaches and to have their stories shared and successes championed.
ORGANISERs
Laura is a social impact entrepreneur whose experience includes founding two companies (Ida Sports and Brunswick Aces) and another NGO in addition to EPF (the Lightyear Foundation, focused on science education in Ghana). Laura has also worked as a senior policy advisor for the UK Department of Business, Innovation and Skills, and further worked in sport event management for the London Olympics, the Street Child World Cup (Brazil), and the European Games in Baku.
Erin has spent the past 12 years working as a conflict and humanitarian access specialist for a range of international and local NGOs, think-tanks, and the private sector – designing, managing and advising for programmes centred on conflict, security and development. She currently works for the UN World Food Programme as the Regional Peace and Conflict advisor for the Middle East and North Africa. Erin was a three-sport elite athlete (swimming, Olympic Modern pentathlon, and football) – playing professionally for West Ham and Crystal Palace FCs, as well as in competitive leagues in Saudi Arabia, Scandinavia, the US, China, Afghanistan and Jordan.
Maggie works on advocacy and policy on global anti-corruption and human rights issues. The new Director of Public Policy and Sport Integrity at Sport Integrity Global Alliance, she had previously spent six years working with Transparency International as the Senior Global Advocacy Manager, and two years Minority Rights Group International and HelpAge International as a human rights advocate. Maggie has been playing adult competitive football since she was thirteen, and aside from playing for UK-based clubs and captaining Oxford University, she has set-up, coached or played for teams in Tanzania, Rwanda, Guadeloupe, the Netherlands and Germany.
EQUAL PLAYING FIELD’S WORK WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE
WITHOUT THE HELP OF OUR MANY PARTNERS.
If you were looking for the other Equal Playing Field (Global) out of Australia, check out their amazing work on ending gender-based violence here