Enhancing the base for female representation in European handball
On 28 November 2024 the Women’s EHF EURO 2024 will throw off in Austria, Hungary and Switzerland.
The championship marks another milestone for the development of the women’s game in European handball, as for the first time there will 24 teams taking the court.
It’s a move that brings the Women’s EHF EURO level again with its male counterpart for which the expansion from 16 to 24 teams took place in 2020.
However, development does not only take place on court. The Women’s EHF EURO 2024 provides the background for the EHF’s Women’s Handball Conference, the second of its kind, on 10 and 11 December.
The event will see dozens of experts in the field and up to 150 participants gather in Vienna to discuss grassroots, leadership, female empowerment and operations in women’s handball.
Furthermore, female representation inside the European Handball Federation as well as within its elected bodies, provides a sound basis for a successful development in the future, according to EHF President Michael Wiederer.
“In general, elections for our stakeholder bodies are influenced by the people active in European handball and by the personnel which is sent by our Member Federations to an election congress,” Wiederer said.
“At the last election congress in 2021, out of all delegates sent by the Member Federations 17% were women.”
However, looking at the overall election results women are twice as much represented within the EHF’s bodies and stakeholder groups.
Within the EHF Executive Committee, 3 out of 13 members (23%) are female. This increases to 31% women in the Technical Commissions and 27% women in the EHF’s legal bodies.
Within the EHF’s committees and boards (i.e. the Nation Committees and the League Boards), half of the members are female, while the Professional Handball Board and the Women’s Handball Board reach a quote of 45% female representatives.
Wiederer: “Overall, 36% of the elected people within the EHF are female. That’s twice as many women as being sent to the last election congress. Within the full-time staff of the EHF and EHF Marketing, currently 43% are women.”
In its summary, Wiederer emphasised the importance of ‘pipeline work’, saying that the further promotion of women in European handball shall take place at all levels.
He underlined that the European Handball Federation plays a vital role in this process.
“Wherever we have the possibility for influencing the process, we will ensure that this influence is put in place,” Wiederer concluded.
Photo: EHF/kolektiffimages
