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Women and sport conference – University sport is a gold mine for gender equality

FISU 31 May 2018

FISU events, like Athletics as the Taipei 2017 Summer Universiade, are grounded in equal access and opportunity to all and follow the highest human rights principles and approaches

GOBORONE, BOTSWANA – The seventh world conference on women and sport took place in this capital city for four days in mid-May and was held under the theme “Determine the future. Be part of the change” with FISU members in attendance.

 

The Vice Chair of FISU’s Gender Equality Committee, Peninnah Kabenge, FISU Gender Equality Committee member Arnaud Richard and continental FASU student representative Shoni Masutha represented FISU in Botswana. The group emphasized that as sports forge a way forward for gender equality, it’s important to recognize and build upon the contribution of university sports as a key architectural building block for future advances on increasing sport and development opportunities for all.

 

FISU representatives called for focus on the enormous potential that an university education plays –“a goldmine for gender equality” as Ms. Kabenge put it. One needs to look no further, Ms. Kabenge said, that the exponential growth taking place due to various programs such as the FISU Forum, the International Day of University Sport celebration, FISU Conference, FISU Gender Equality Sport Awards, FISU Gender Round Table, in addition to the student university experience proplogating gender equality.

 

Success will also require strengthened continental and NUSFs to capacitate their potential of University Sports, Mr. Arnaud stressed, saying “knowledge is the power to connect globally.”

 

 

FISU Gender Equality Committee milestones

By FISU Gender Equality Committee Vice-Chair, Peninnah Kabenge

 

The FISU representatives in at the women and sport conference in Botswana were gender equality vice-chair, Peninnah Kabenge (left); gender equality member Arnaud Richard (centre); and FASU student representative, Shoni Masutha

 

The trend of underscoring gender equality is definitely growing to promote the participation of more female referees and coaches, reviewing of numbers of equipment for sport and equality of gender, recommending schedules equal for men and women in the sports programs. FISU also realized the importance of partnership in order to generating universal success that has led to burgeoning a profile for equality in sports.

 

Our task is to make ourselves the architects of the future creating significant opportunities, not just for equal participation as athletes but also raising the number of women in leadership roles and officiating roles Peninnah Kabenge noted. FISU is steering the destiny of equality with increased activities that empower the students regardless of their sex who are today’s stars and tomorrow’s leaders.

 

In FISU’s presentation it was noted that no discussion about potential would be complete without mentioning education and it’s wonderful to see that focused efforts are being made by FISU with its programs such as the Gender Round Table, conferences etc. Participants of the conference were treated to a short movie showing innovations by FISU that are creating the architects of the future which triggered exciting questions and comments.

 

The future of Gender Equality is in our hands so let’s all do our part to ensure that it’s a bright and powerful future.