Table Tennis Australia along with the State and Territory bodies are pleased to launch the first Gender Equity Strategy underlining our commitment to promote gender equality and empower women and girls in Australia through the sport of Table Tennis.

Earlier this year on International Women’s Day 2023 we announced our commitment to inspiring more women and girls to get involved in the sport and it is really exciting to back this up with the completion of the 2023 – 2025 Gender Equity Strategy and Action Plan. 

Table Tennis in Australia has a long history of supporting gender diversity and inclusion, with programs and initiatives in many areas of the sport targeted to increase participation among women and girls. However, despite the inherent ability of the sport to cater to people of all ages, abilities and genders, there exists a staggering gender gap within Table Tennis in Australia. Hence with knowledge and capability in this area, as well as a commitment to address the lack of female representation, the Table Tennis community in Australia is ideally positioned for a culture shift to evolve into a gender-balanced sport. 

The 2023-2025 Gender Equity Strategy is centred around creating inclusive practices, accessible opportunities and welcoming environments for all women and girls across the table tennis community. Aligned with the vision and direction of the 2023-2025 TTA Strategic Plan, the strategy is underpinned by four key pillars - Leadership, People, Profile and Participation.

The Women and Girls in Table Tennis Working Group has been integral in not only developing the Gender Equity Strategy but also implementing associated activities and initiatives ever since its establishment in August 2022.

TTA CEO Nicole Adamson said, "We are excited to launch our first Gender Equity Strategy, an important piece of work which will guide us in ensuring we create inclusive and equitable practices across all elements of our business and the broader table tennis community. Table Tennis is a sport which people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities can participate, and we look forward to implementing the outcomes of this strategy to encourage greater gender diversity within our community."

TTV CEO Gen Dohrmann stated, "Table Tennis Victoria has been excited to play a key part in the development of the National Gender Equity Strategy for Table Tennis. With my passion for advocacy for females in sport fostered by involvement with Women Sport Australia it has been great to put learnings into action and develop this strategy collaboratively with similarly passionate individuals on the working group from across the country. I look forward to seeing new initiatives for females in table tennis launching in 2024."

TTA is also thrilled to be working with the Australian Sports Commission and Work 180 on the 2023 Women Leaders in Sport Executive Program, which has played a vital role in informing key aspects of the Gender Equity Strategy and Action Plan.

We cannot wait to work with the table tennis community to accelerate progress on the work being done in this area and make gender equality a reality within our sport.

This article has been adapted from Table Tennis Australia.

To read the Gender Equity Strategy please click here.