Diversity, inclusion and equality for all inspires Netherlands’ strategy

If the achievements of their women’s national teams can be considered demonstrative of a national federation’s success with gender equality, then the Netherlands is an important case to consider. With five medals won and six semi-final appearances in a period of four years, from 2015 to 2019, the Netherlands reached a new position in the handball world, becoming an example for others to follow.

Since then, the men’s team have grabbed attention as well, and the Netherlands are therefore cemented as an important federation on the world stage. Following on from the feature on Norway’s approach to gender equality, we examine the case of the Netherlands.

There is more than one way to address gender equality. In the Netherlands, the goals have been broad, with gender equality part of the greater diversity and inclusion policies of the Netherlands Handball Federation (NHV).

“We consider gender equality — and for that matter all diversity, inclusion and equality — as a part of our overall ambition, that everyone should be able to play and enjoy handball,” says general director Jaap Wals.

“As the NHV looks at gender equality more broadly than ‘just’ man/woman, we have included it in the DI&G (Diversity, Inclusion and Equality) Charter. Handball for everyone, regardless of gender, age, ethnic background, sexual preference, physical or mental disability.”

The NHV are currently guided by their Handball Agenda 2032, which targets development at the national and local level, and was created in 2020 following a new national sports agreement in the Netherlands. The national sports agreement saw NHV collaborate with 26 other sports organisations in the Netherlands, as well as the National Olympic Committee*National Sports Federation (NOC*NSF) on the topic of diversity, pledging inclusion for all. With that in place, the Handball Agenda 2032 was created, with the key message of “everyone experiences handball” underlying all planning, initiatives and activities.

“With signing the DI&G Charter in 2020 – a collaboration with 26 sport unions and the NOC*NSF, the NHV has expressed its intention, both internally and externally, to be an inclusive organisation and make handball possible for everyone. This has been the starting point to approach this topic more structural and strategic over the past years,” says Wals.

The concept of making handball possible for everyone aligns with another strategy document agreed at the NOC*NSF general assembly in May 2022: Dutch Sport’s Strategic Plan 2032. The NOC*NSF oversees 77 national governing bodies and 17 associated organisations within the country.

The goal of Dutch Sport’s Strategic Plan 2032 is for the Netherlands to become the world’s sportiest nation, specifically, that everyone in the country is involved in sport on a daily basis and 100 per cent of Dutch people feel welcome, safe and included in sport. “Together, we will unleash the power of sport to build a stronger, healthier, and happier country,” states the plan.

It is something of a circle, with agreed-upon values guiding the strategy of the entire country when it comes to sport and each sporting organisation as an extension, but those agreed-upon values coming from the choice of the people involved to decide that those are the most worthwhile focuses. This echoes the approach of the Norwegian Handball Federation, whose Secretary General Erik Langerud urged proactivity in deciding policies that will ensure certain goals are kept foremost in mind, guiding all choices.  

The Netherlands have a strong history of inclusion in the sporting sphere, with evidence such as their status as one of the most successful countries in the Paralympic Games — they sit ninth on the all-time medal table, showcasing a history of opportunities for diverse athletes. In handball, the Netherlands were among the first to participate in the wheelchair discipline, and were in fact the first European champions crowned at the maiden event in 2015. Walking handball, designed for the elderly, was another initiative developed in the country.

Returning to the Handball Agenda 2032, Waals says, “By now we have undertaken several activities that have mainly focused on creating awareness on the topic of diversity, inclusion and equality within the federation and associations. This includes several activities specifically targeted on the subject of gender.”

Activities focused on gender equality have been both internal and external. Externally, there have been campaigns and offers such as “Welcome to the club” and “Young board members,” concentrations on trainer and coach development, surveys of the different member associations, and the development of the transgender policy, which enables everyone to play wherever he/she/them wants up to the selection of the national teams, where the guidelines of the NOC*NSF are followed. Internally, the management of the NHV has been an important area of focus, as well as inclusion workshops for those in management roles and, currently, finalising of the DI&G policy, expected to be ready over the summer.

When working to improve diversity, equality and inclusion, the federation is the place to start. A non-diverse federation cannot create a diverse and inclusive handball community where everyone feels represented and equal. As Waals highlights, a federation should also represent the society in which it functions — not only a small group within that society.

“The NHV believes that it’s important to be a good representation not only of all of its members, but also of the broader society as, in accordance with the Handball Agenda 2032, we wish to make handball attractive and accessible to everyone. In addition, we believe that having heterogenous boards offers a more well-balanced combination of views and talents and helps prevent mechanisms like cognitive bias and ‘group think,’ which is often the case in homogenous groups. Currently, the board consists of six people, of which three are women and three are men,” says Wals.

The NHV board policies were created in line with the 13 Principles of Good Sports Governance, drawn up by the NOC*NSF. These 13 principles essentially focus on clear planning, a unified approach and transparency. None of these items specifically focus on gender equality, but they do help in constructing a federation where the right priorities can be agreed upon and actioned.

“The Code of Good Sport Governance used in the Netherlands does not include a specific code on gender equality but is part of the whole,” says Waals. “The NHV embraces the principles of Good Sport Governance and has included the specific issues in the elaboration of the diversity and inclusion policy.”

Moving from internal management and grassroots to the national teams, the Netherlands have enjoyed particular success on the women’s side, culminating with the world title in 2019. That success can inspire other girls and young women to take up the sport, but, for Waals, falls within the big picture rather than being the most important measurement of success or a catalyst for future development.

“As NHV, we strongly believe in the power of positive role models. We don’t specifically measure the impact of initiatives or the women’s team, but as since the success of the women’s team we have seen a growth in young girls starting with handball, we do assume that it will also have a positive impact on the general inclusivity of the handball and associations,” says Wals.

The key takeaways of the NHV approach? It all starts with diverse voices in the governing body — when many voices can be heard in the shaping of goals, those goals will naturally reflect what is most important in the broader society. In this case, it is as simple as people having the chance to experience the game in the way that fits them. Deciding to prioritise diversity, inclusion and equality can help ensure there are options for everyone, and in turn bring more participation and interest in the sport — a goal that all handball federations hold.

Photos © Kolektiff Images, Portuguese Handball Federation