The North Melbourne Football Club launched its five-year Gender Equality Action Plan a year ago today. 

Guided by ten standards, and informed by Our Watch’s ‘Change the Story’ framework, the plan outlines North’s commitment to create a culture of respect, dignity, and inclusion that is championed by football and broader Australian communities.

The club’s annual report highlights its achievements over the past year since the plan’s inception, in strengthening gender equality in the workplace, at games and in the community.

“This year we are proud of all the work that our players, staff, and community have put into strengthening gender equality,” managing director and CEO Carl Dilena told North Media.

“We have more than doubled our female staff in the football department, we launched our AFLW team; the North Melbourne Tasmanian Kangaroos, and had 226 young women participate in our Next Generation Academy.”

Dilena says while there is plenty to be proud of, there is also plenty to work to do.

“It’s a five-year plan, and we are only just beginning,” he said.

“Over the next year, our focus is to make sure our women are supported and empowered, as well as adopting strategies to strengthen our recruitment and retention of women,” Dilena stated.

Read the 2018–2019 Gender Equality Annual Report