Ahead of International Women’s Day on Tuesday 8 March, the ITF is calling on its global family to showcase the game’s dedication to equal opportunities by making a commitment to gender equality through its ‘I pledge’ campaign. 

The ITF has a clear and ongoing commitment to gender equality and is proud to play an active role in worldwide solidarity by virtue of its Advantage All strategy and the HeForShe movement initiated by United Nations Women.  

To reinforce this message and to mark International Women’s Day, the ITF has sent an open letter to the Presidents of all National and Regional Associations asking them to pledge their support and advocate for women.  

By making the same small gesture, signing ‘I pledge’ is a tangible and public commitment by the ITF family to improve gender equality, while also encouraging Presidents to lead by example and demonstrate the necessary leadership to effect lasting change.   

“The ITF is committed to delivering tangible change to improve gender equality and through the ‘I pledge’ campaign we will be taking engagement and accountability to a new level,” said ITF President David Haggerty.

“By working together with our member nations and in every part of the world where we have a presence, we can power a global movement and a worldwide solidarity. In short, equality is a collective obligation, not an option.

“We can only fulfil our mission of delivering tennis for future generations if we address the need for a lasting change in culture across our sport that sees women on an equal footing with men at all levels.

“Equality is at the very core of the ITF2024 strategic agenda and the overriding aim of the ‘I pledge’ campaign is to mobilise, advocate and support more women to stand for election and step-up to higher levels of performance and decision-making roles.

“There has been progress in this area since Advantage All was launched, but to develop and maintain tennis as an equal advantage sport then strides still need to be taken. ‘I pledge’ is a small act but it will make a world of difference.”

The ‘I pledge’ campaign underlines the ITF’s commitment to gender equality through its Advantage All strategy, which was launched in August 2018 and is supported by the Foundation for Global Sports Development.  

The campaign also highlights the need for greater accountability and is the latest key initiative in the quest for a more equal sport, both on and off court. It follows a significant programme of activity in the last 12 months.  

On International Women’s Day in 2021, the ITF announced the results of a first-of-its-kind global research project which examined sports gender equality across the media and social media. A new Leadership Development Programme was also launched. 

A key focus of the Leadership Development Programme has been the expansion of the pipeline of female candidates for future Board and Presidential elections, with the ambition being a greater gender balance in the boardroom.  

Having been nominated by their National or Regional Association, close to 100 women have been provided with networking and mentoring opportunities, as well as practical support and advice to overcome societal barriers.  

Central to the programme has been a series of webinars hosted by industry professionals, covering a range of topics from developing leadership skills to goal-setting and self-motivation.  

Meanwhile, the ITF’s Advantage All strategy received a major boost in September 2021 when President and IOC member David Haggerty was announced as a HeForShe Champion for a five-year period until 2026.  

The HeForShe movement is an international platform created by UN Women, the United Nations entity for Gender Equality, which invites men and boys to engage with the work of the women’s movement and create an equal world for all. 

UN Women has selected a globally diverse network of leaders, alongside global CEOs, Presidents and Prime Ministers, from governance, non-profit and corporate sectors. As a HeForShe Champion, Haggerty is committed to addressing gender equality through transformative policy and as a public advocate.  

To find out more about Advantage All, click here.