Devised in 2014, the declaration's overriding aim is to develop a culture that enables and values the full involvement of women in every aspect of sport and physical activity.

It was signed by WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari and the IWG's co-chairperson Ruth Maphorisa in Botswana's capital Gaborone last week, where the governing body held its Congress.

This has now been backed up by the 82 WBSC members becoming signatories of the declaration.

"WBSC and our sport's leaders around the world fully support the Brighton Plus Helsinki Declaration and applaud the International Working Group on Women and Sport for their important work," Fraccari said. 

"WBSC considers the promotion and equal opportunity of girls and women in baseball and softball to be a duty and priority. 

"Females represent a large part of our global community, but WBSC and our global movement remain doubly committed to making our sport even more inclusive and accessible to girls and women, and this includes in roles of leadership."

According to the WBSC, nearly half of the world's estimated 65 million baseball and softball players are female.

Three women currently serve on the WBSC's Executive Board - secretary general Beng Choo Low of Malaysia, Venezuela's 2008 Olympian Maria Soto and three-time Olympic softball coach Taeko Utsugi of Japan.

There are 37 current female Presidents and secretary generals leading national baseball and/or softball federations across six continents.

"WBSC and baseball and softball represent one of the biggest gender-balanced, diverse movements in sports, so it's a great honour and boost to have their support and commitment," said Maphorisa. 

"A growing global sport like baseball and softball, particularly with its youth and commercial appeal, can play a significant role in helping to shape a more female-inclusive sporting world." 

Baseball for men and softball for women will make their return to the Olympic programme at Tokyo 2020.