ZURICH (Reuters) - FIFA's Task Force for Women's Football has called for a target of 30 percent women's participation in the governing body's leading structures and top jobs, FIFA said on Thursday.
The Task Force has asked that women's representation become a priority issue for the new Reform Committee charged with over-hauling the crisis-hit organization.
In a statement the body proposed a "target of 30 percent for women's participation on boards and committees and in senior management roles".
The Task Force also proposed: "women's football being represented at the highest level and in the decision-making bodies through specialists, ideally women; women's football being fully integrated in the strategy of every member association."
FIFA held a symposium on women's soccer in Vancouver before the final of the Women's World Cup in July and Task Force head Maya Dodd said they had taken up the issues raised at that event.
"It has been exciting to see the upsurge in interest for women's football in the weeks following the FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada, but we need to ensure the momentum is maintained," said Dodd, who is a co-opted member of FIFA's executive committee.
"Today we have fully endorsed the calls to action announced during the symposium and used these to develop proposals to increase the number of women involved, not only on the field but also in governance and in business aspects of the game," said Australian Dodd.
"This is a crucial time for FIFA as the reform process is set to advance in the coming months and the Task Force for Women's Football will continue to push for better gender balance in football given that it undoubtedly enhances governance and improves the game overall," she said.
The Task Force also called for non-discriminatory funding of the sport at all levels in "fair financial proportion to its participation levels and potential".