Girls+Sports: using law and data to address gender inequality in school sports
Although laws in Canada forbid discrimination in schools, barriers to participation in school sports still exist – especially for girls. Dr Jennifer Orange, a human rights lawyer at Toronto Metropolitan University, is using data to investigate gender disparities in sports opportunities across Toronto schools. Through the Girls+Sports Project, her team aims to make these gaps visible and support efforts towards fairer and more equal access to sports for all students.
Talk like a human rights lawyer
Equity — removing barriers to ensure that everyone has a chance to succeed and thrive, which often means providing different support systems and opportunities for different groups
Gender disparities — differences or inequalities between different genders in participation or opportunities
Intramural sports — sports activities organised within a school or community for students to compete informally
Human rights treaty — an international agreement between nation states that protects basic rights and freedoms for all people
Convention on the Rights of the Child — the most widely accepted international treaty that outlines children’s rights, including education and non-discrimination
User experience (UX) design — the process of designing websites or apps so that they are accessible and enjoyable for people to use
The marathon has been an Olympic event since the first modern games were held in 1896. However, it wasn’t until 1984, almost 90 years later, that women were allowed to compete in it. In 1921, the Football Association in the UK banned women’s football, stating that, “The game of football is quite unsuitable for females and should not be encouraged.” This ban remained in place for 50 years.
Unfortunately, these examples are part of the long and often unfair history of women’s sport, which has been a constant fight for inclusion. Despite decades of progress, equal access to sport is still not guaranteed.
Today, countries around the world have made laws that promise equal opportunities. However, laws are only powerful if they are effective – and without clear evidence of how those laws are working in practice, inequalities can remain hidden. At Toronto Metropolitan University, Dr Jennifer Orange is collecting and analysing data to investigate whether girls in Canadian schools have the same access to sports as boys do. Her Girls+Sports Project is exploring gender disparities in school sports, helping to drive real change in policy and practice.
Why is equal access to sport important for young people?
“Canadian studies have shown that when young people participate in sports, they experience better physical and mental health and have a better chance of being employed,” says Jennifer. According to the Convention on the Rights of the Child – the most widely accepted human rights treaty in the world – education must help every child develop their personality, talents, and mental and physical abilities. It also states that education must be provided without discrimination of any kind. In other words, all young people should be able to take part in school sports, no matter their gender or background. Children’s equal access to sport is a human right; however, not all students have the same opportunities to get involved.
What role do schools play in access to sport?
“Schools play a vital role in providing access to sport,” says Jennifer. “For some children, school is the only place where they have the chance to play, and school sports tend to cost less than other sports opportunities.”
According to research by Canadian Women and Sport, schools play a key role in providing access to sports and shaping young people’s attitudes about sports. Its 2024 Rally Report shows that 90% of children between the ages of 6 and 12 take part in sports informally, through physical education classes and breaktime activities. However, when it comes to organised school sports, such as football or athletics, girls are 10% less likely to participate than boys. This disparity continues as students get older: only 40% of girls aged 13 to 18 are involved in intramural sports, compared to 50% of boys.
What is the Girls+Sports Project?
Jennifer created the Girls+Sports Project to explore whether girls and boys have the same opportunities to play sports in schools run by the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) – one of the largest school boards in Canada. “We want to educate students, parents, carers and teachers about disparities between girls and boys sports and teach them about children’s rights,” says Jennifer. “We hope that this project will lead to more opportunities for girls to play sports in the TDSB and promote gender equality in our communities.”
Reference
https://doi.org/10.33424/FUTURUM615
Computer scientist and research team member Raiyan Rahman on a hike in California.
© Raiyan Rahman
Jennifer presenting the Girls+Sports Project website.
© Jennifer Orange
Charts showing the number of football (soccer) teams in the South region of the Toronto District School Board.
© Jennifer Orange
To do this, Jennifer and her team collected official data from the TDSB, looking at the number of sports teams available for girls, boys and all-gender groups between 2021 and 2023. The data were then carefully analysed by filtering them according to details such as school level (elementary, junior or senior), sport and gender. The results are presented in easy-to-read charts on the Girls+Sports Project website, helping users see where differences in access still exist.
How is technology helping to share the team’s findings?
To turn her research into something everyone can access and understand, Jennifer has teamed up with two computer science students who believe in the Girls+Sports Project. The raw data from the TDSB came in Excel files, which couldn’t be easily displayed online, so the computer scientists converted them into a website-friendly format.
The Girls+Sports Project website was a collaborative effort between law and computer science students. Together, they worked on everything from writing the text and designing the user experience (UX), to building charts and graphs that make the data easy to explore. “We are just beginning to disseminate our findings,” says Jennifer. “I am giving talks at conferences and working to publish academic papers, but most importantly, the Girls+Sports Project website is live and everyone can see it.”
What’s next for the Girls+Sports Project?
The Girls+Sports Project is just getting started. Jennifer and her team plan to continue working with the TDSB to collect new data and keep the website up to date. In the next phase of the project, Jennifer will interview teachers and staff involved in school sports to better understand the reasons behind the gender gap in participation.
Looking ahead, Jennifer hopes to expand the project beyond Toronto. She plans to apply for further funding to collect data from across Ontario and, eventually, all of Canada. She also wants to hear directly from students themselves – learning more about their experiences could reveal important insights into why some girls are less likely to take part in school sports.
“I hope that the Girls+Sports Project will make the differences between girls’ and boys’ participation in school sports visible, give people the tools they need to advocate for change, and demonstrate the power of interdisciplinary research teams,” says Jennifer. “When legal researchers and computer scientists come together, they can do creative work that makes society better for us all.”
Dr Jennifer Orange
Assistant Professor, Lincoln Alexander School of Law, Toronto Metropolitan University, Canada
Field of research: Human rights law
Research project: Investigating and sharing information about gender disparities in sports participation across schools in Toronto
Funder: The Girls+Sports Project draws on research supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC)
Website: girlsplussports.ca
About human rights law
Human rights law is a broad field that focuses on protecting the basic rights and freedoms of all people. It is grounded in legal systems around the world and supported by national and international agreements, such as the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child. These laws are designed to ensure that everyone is protected from discrimination and has access to fundamental rights, such as education, healthcare, housing and employment.
In Canada, one of the key institutions enforcing these protections is the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal. “The Tribunal hears complaints about discrimination in organisations governed by federal law,” explains Jennifer. “Its mission is to ‘resolve discrimination complaints and disputes about employment equity, pay equity and accessibility in a fair, independent and efficient way.’ It is like a court, but less formal.” Jennifer is a part-time member of the Tribunal. “I hear cases about discrimination and make decisions at the end of those cases,” she says. “I also work as a mediator to try to resolve complaints before they go to a hearing.”
Working in human rights law can be incredibly rewarding. “There are so many areas of law that relate to human rights, such as education, employment, health, housing, criminal law and immigration,” says Jennifer. “I am always learning about different places and cultures, as well as about the ways that people want to live with dignity.” For many legal professionals, the opportunity to make a real difference in people’s lives by challenging injustice and advocating for fairness makes the field meaningful.
At the same time, the work can be emotionally and mentally demanding. “Our work to realise human rights for all will never be over,” says Jennifer. “We see so many human rights abuses in the world, and that can be discouraging.” The scale and complexity of global injustices – like poverty, climate change and conflict – can sometimes make the work feel overwhelming.
To stay resilient, it is important to focus on your physical and mental health. “When I have had a stressful day, I try to spend some time outdoors and do some physical activity like walking,” says Jennifer. “If I am feeling anxious or low, I bring out my whole mental health toolkit — I see my friends and family, play with my dogs, exercise, meditate, eat healthy food (and chocolate — it works!) and focus on getting good sleep. These activities really help me feel better.”
Pathway from school to human rights law
In high school, study subjects like social studies, history, law, English, civics, political science and philosophy. These subjects help develop critical thinking, communication skills and an understanding of social justice issues.
“There are many higher education courses that relate to human rights, such as law, social studies, political science and international relations,” says Jennifer. “Courses on discrimination and issues like racism, ableism and gender equity can be helpful.”
Students at Toronto Metropolitan University’s Lincoln Alexander School of Law work with Law in Action Within Schools (LAWS) to host a technology conference for grade 11 students. LAWS is an education engagement and support programme for high school students, introducing participants to legal thinking and the justice system.
Take part in a Model United Nations to learn more about human rights and how they are protected around the world, hone your communication skills, and learn about global issues.
Explore careers in human rights law
To learn more about human rights law, explore websites such as the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the University of Minnesota Human Rights Library and your country’s human rights commission, which you can find via the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions.
The National Film Board of Canada has a collection of free films about human rights.
“Working as a lawyer is a common career in human rights,” says Jennifer. “But you can also work in international development, human resources, social work, research, advocacy, journalism, education, social media and communications, and, as the Girls+Sports Project shows, data and computer science.”
Meet Jennifer
I have always been interested in justice. As a young person, it really bothered me when people were treated unfairly. I was also interested in different cultures. I was involved in a Model United Nations in high school and majored in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies in university. Outside of my studies, I loved music and sports. I played on many school sports teams and was a competitive softball player.
My career has had many stages and side projects. Do not be discouraged if you don’t find your dream job at first. Careers are built over time. Try to learn something from every experience and keep your eye on your goals.
I have the opportunity to learn about all kinds of people and sometimes make a small difference in their lives. I love getting to hear what my students are thinking and watching them as they work through problems.
I want everyone to have the best opportunity possible to live, love, learn, work and play safely. It is up to all of us to notice when some people are being excluded. Taking a moment to invite someone into your group without judgment or welcome them to a team can make a big difference. You may not know them, but over time they could become a good friend.
My sheer determination has helped me be successful. I have had many setbacks in my career, but I just keep at it. Over time, my skills and accomplishments have added up.
I love to play and watch sports! Recently, I have become a big fan of the Toronto Sceptres in the Professional Women’s Hockey League.
Jennifer’s top tip
Volunteer for an organisation that supports human rights. It doesn’t have to be in law. I have two personal rules for volunteering: (1) I go where I am needed and (2) I work in areas that I feel passionate about. While I have volunteered for human rights organisations, I have also volunteered washing dishes at a homeless shelter. I learned important lessons about human rights every time.
Do you have a question for Jennifer?
Write it in the comments box below and Jennifer will get back to you. (Remember, researchers are very busy people, so you may have to wait a few days.)
Learn more about how data can be used to help support children’s development:
futurumcareers.com/using-big-datasets-to-find-out-what-affects-childrens-quality-of-life
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