In a step towards empowering girls and women around the world in the field of sport, the International Centre for Sport Security (ICSS) has called for promoting women's representation in decision-making processes in sport and breaking the glass ceiling to allow their access to leadership positions.
This came during the ICSS's participation in the first Forum on 'Women in Sport' organised recently by the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (ICESCO) in Rabat, Morocco, in the presence of women pioneers from different countries across the world.
The event has envisaged the intervention of Fatma Samoura, FIFA Secretary-General; Yankhoba Diattara, Minister of Sport, Senegal; Filomena Fortes, IOC Member, President, Cabo Verde National Olympic Committee; Laura Stéphanie Georges, Secretary-General, French Football Federation; Kaiznat Ibrahim, Vice-President, Confederation of African Football; Dr Chakib Benmoussa, Minister of National Education, Preschool and Sports, Morocco; Dr Salim M al-Malik, ICESCO Director-General; and El Hadj Diouf, former international professional footballer, Sports Adviser to the President of Senegal, as well as high-level representative from the Conférence des Ministres de la Jeunesse et des Sports de la Francophonie (CONFEJES), ministries of sport and national Olympic committees from the Islamic World, among others.
This first forum highlighted the exceptional leadership of women in sport and the role of sport as a tool for social development, peace building, combating all forms of violence and discrimination against women and reducing gender disparities, a press statement notes. The event provided recommendations to enrich public policies aimed at strengthening women’s participation in this field, in addition to facilitating learning and the exchange of experiences among women leaders.
Addressing the forum, Honey Thaljieh, the first captain of the Palestinian women's national team, co-founder of women's football in Palestine and Save the Dream Ambassador, drew on her experience in football to highlight the power sports has to promote promoting peace, diversity and gender equality.
Massimiliano Montanari, CEO of the ICSS, said: “Increasing women's participation in the decision-making bodies of sport federations is not just important in terms of protecting women’s rights and opportunities, but it also means increasing the level of integrity in the world of sport. According to some studies, women are in fact less vulnerable to the appeal of corruption. "Women continue to be key players with regard to sport for development and peace.
At the ICSS and Save the Dream, we have the privilege to work with a number of sports for peace women activists, such as Suad Gallow, Tegla Loroupe, Honey Thaljieh, Norma Bastidas and many others, and to witness their amazing achievements and capacity to have impact in the most vulnerable groups and underserved communities.”
Diogo Guia, Executive Director of ICSS Europe, added: "Promoting women’s participation in the decision-making process in sports will consolidate the promotion of the values of peace respect and tolerance in local communities. Empowering women in sport is one of the most effective ways to fight against all forms of gender-based violence.
"At the ICSS, we are conducting many programmes to promote sport among vulnerable people and beyond in order to create a feeling of inclusion in society.”
ICESCO is an international non-profit organisation emanating from the Organization of Islamic Co-operation, specialising in the fields of education, science, culture and communication in Islamic countries in order to support and strengthen relations among member states.