Northern NSW Football [NNSWF] are using Female Football Week and the Federal Election to continue their push for improved facilities for women and girls in the game.
Football Australia last month launched their #Equaliser campaign, an initiative to deliver adequate female friendly facilities across the the country.
With the Federation Election imminent, they are calling on all sides of politics to provide funding commitments to achieve that goal.
According to Football Australia, the participation of women and girls in the sport has experienced double-digit growth for the past five years.
That growth is expected to be turbo-charged next year when Australia and New Zealand co-host the FIFA Women's World Cup.
Football Australia are also targeting gender parity of equal playing numbers by 2027.
A recent Football Australia survey of more than 6000 registered participants revealed two-thirds of all respondents said commitments to improve football facilities in their region or club would influence their vote.
NNSWF held the first of their #Equaliser events last weekend and chief executive David Eland told the Newcastle Herald it provided the opportunity to "shine the light on the acute need of investment in community football facilities".
He was at Thornton Junior Football Club, where Member for Paterson Meryl Swanson and Paterson Liberal candidate Brooke Vitnell were also in attendance.
"In particular it is investment which transforms facilities so that they are more female friendly," Eland said.
"We want to take advantage of the Federal Election. We want to leverage the Federal Election to secure as many funding commitments as we can."
A lack of female friendly change rooms is a common issue facing the sport around the country.
"Our audit tells us that there's only 25 per cent of change rooms that are female friendly," Eland said.
"A definition of female friendly is lockable cubicles not just open shower blocks and open change rooms, actually some privacy for people to get changed. Pan toilets, basin, a mirror - that's the very basic amenities that we would classify as being female friendly.
"We're not calling for separate facilities. In the very least, we're calling for gender-neutral change rooms so that females can feel safe. They can feel comfortable and hopefully we can have facilities that make them feel welcome and want to play our sport."
Eland said many clubs, such as Thornton Junior Football Club, also had inadequate lightning to cater for their growing number of participants.
NNSWF Female Football Week this week is also focused on the growth of the game with a range of activities being held to acknowledge players, coaches, referees and administrators. It includes a coaching masterclass, refereeing masterclass, walking football and Kick-On For Women open sessions and a networking evening.
