The 4th IOC World Conference on Women and Sport in Jordan concluded on 10 March with a strong action plan. The more than 600 participants from 116 different countries agreed unanimously and committed themselves to a future strategy which focuses on actions in five specific areas:
- Seize upcoming opportunities to promote gender equality

- Governance

- Empowerment through education and development

- Women, sport and the media

- Women, sport and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)

Mainstreaming the cause
The Olympic Games in Beijing, upcoming elections of National Olympic Committees (NOCs), the Olympic Congress in 2009 and the Youth Olympic Games were defined as key opportunities to advance the cause of girls and women in and through sport. It is about mainstreaming girls' and women's participation in decision-making bodies, events and topical discussions. For instance, the conference participants requested the Chairperson of the IOC Women and Sport Commission to propose to the 120th IOC Session in August 2008 the mandatory requirement for all NOCs to have women on their executive committees, and that this be an enforceable requirement.
Key performance indicators
Within the field of governance, it was emphasised that key performance indicators should be set by the IOC in order to provide guidance to the Olympic Movement and monitor progress against the set targets. The much needed networking of women in the Olympic Movement could be facilitated through the IOC website. The predominant female conference participants also noted the need for men in decision-making positions to participate in women and sport forums. Delegations attending policy-making forums should be gender based.