Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram has joined the Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham in backing a plan to create more opportunities for women and girls in sport, physical activity and movement.
Currently, only 56% of women in the Liverpool City Region and 59% of women in Greater Manchester achieve the recommended 150 minutes of weekly activity, compared to 65% of men.
Merseyside Sport Partnership (MSP) and Greater Manchester Moving (GMM) – Sport England’s Active Partnerships for the regions – have been working together and will lead new plans with action to close the gap. These plans will address safety issues that impact women and girls, provide workforce training and education, and ultimately create new opportunities for women and girls to get active with confidence.
To speed up progress and lead for cultural and systemic change, the two combined authorities have adopted a joint approach. Both the Liverpool and Greater Manchester City Regions have together signed up to the Brighton Plus Helsinki Declaration, an internationally recognised global framework from the International Working Group (IWG) on Women and Sport. This makes them the first place-based signatories in the declaration’s 30-year history.
As the world’s largest network dedicated to advancing gender equality in sport and physical activity, IWG works closely with signatories of the Declaration to share successes, learn from others, and be part of a collective push reshaping sport worldwide
This partnership will form part of the build-up to the IWG Global Summit in Birmingham in July 2026.
Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham said:
“In Greater Manchester, we believe every woman and girl has the right to feel safe, included, and empowered — not just in society, but in every park, pitch, and public space. Therefore, I’m proud that here in Greater Manchester, alongside colleagues in Liverpool City Region we are prioritising this work. Physical activity is not a luxury; it’s a foundation for wellbeing, confidence and equality — and essential to building a city-region where women and girls can truly thrive and lead a good life.”
