March 8th marked International Women's Day. Here's how 10 sport for development projects and programmes marked the annual awareness day, for which the theme this year was 'Accelerate Action'.

1. Greenhouse Sports shone a light on the amazing work its ‘Coach-Mentors’ do to 'accelerate action; in the lives of young people. Swipe through the slides to hear from Coach-Mentors directly regarding the impact they have, how they create safe spaces for young women and how they teach young men to be inclusive and be allies.

2. “To me belonging in sports and activities is a community of connection with others, enjoyment and purposeful activities in a supportive culture.” Activity Alliance spoke to some of its team to see what belonging in sports and activities means to them. Read what they had to say.

3. Girls-only cricket sessions, provided by Lord’s Taverners, help include, empower and inspire young women and girls, to feel comfortable and confident, make new friends and feel like they belong. Hear more of Kimberley's story and her relationship with sport after attending Wicketz in Hull, since moving from Nigeria. Watch the video.

4. parkrun published this blog from Rahema (pictured above), who explained how she is continuing to participate in her local event during Ramadan, the holiest month in the Islamic calendar. Muslims commonly fast during sunlight hours, so parkrun advises participating “in whatever capacity you feel comfortable with”.

5. Sport for Confidence has been celebrating women in leadership, and not just those with formal titles but those who shape communities, challenge systems, and drive change. It explains how occupational therapists are among them. Find out more.

6. Red Neighbours (above) is a Liverpool FC programme that aims to make a difference to people who live in and around Anfield, Kirkby and Melwood. It holds ‘Back 2 Netball’ sessions supported by England Netball, and on Friday had so many people attending that it had to have two awards for player of week!

7. England Athletics promoted a series of inspirational case studies featuring coaches, community athletes and even an Olympic champion. Dame Denise Lewis commented: "Even now, as a woman of 50-plus, running, walking, just being in the open space, I think there's so much mental freedom that I still get."

8. The Lights Up! Exhibition is running at Manchester Central Library until March 29, supported by aAh! magazine. Last November 180 women took to the streets of Manchester to advocate for safer cycling, and this new showcase continues the conversation and amplies the voices of women reclaiming urban spaces.

9. As part of its ‘Be Seen, Be Heard, Belong’ campaign, Sport Northern Ireland promoted its Learning Hub which has courses to help women and girls in sport and physical activity. Courses include menstrual health, supporting female performance and imposter syndrome.

10. Finally Women in Sport, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, shared the latest episode of its podcast in which the experiences of Black teenage girls in sport were explored. This is a group with some of the most positive attitudes towards sport, yet the lowest activity levels amongst girls. 

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