Help women emerge from poverty – AU

Sat, 10 Jun 2017 09:43:17 +0000

By GRACE CHAILE LESOETSA

CAPACITY building of women in sports is a tool that will help them emerge from poverty, ignorance and the culture of silence to the realm of empowerment, freedom and prosperity, says African Union commissioner for social affairs Amira Elfadil.

Speaking at an AU capacity building seminar in sport administration and leadership held at Golden Peacock hotel in Lusaka yesterday, Elfadil said that a study through a number of regional, continental and international confederations and sport organisations showed that women were under-represented.

She said this was because there have not been policies and strategies in place to encourage women to take up leadership roles in sports organisations.

“The study also revealed the discrimination of women and girls in access to sport as athletes and as spectators.

“It is against this backdrop that as an effort to address this challenge, the AU in collaboration with the Zambian Government decided to organise a seminar on capacity building for women in sports administration,” she said.

Elfadil reaffirmed the AU’s commitment to supporting women in sport.

“There is no doubt that by providing women and girls with a voice  in program design, decision-making, training and opportunities for leadership and advocacy, sport programs can also empower and help equip them to take greater control over their own lives.

“Closing gender inequalities in sport is therefore key if we are to win development, and more importantly the growth of Africa’s economy,” she said.

Permanent secretary at the Ministry of Gender Edwidge Mutale believes that capacity building of women with the right skills in sport will ensure that women sports teams excel in various competitions.

Mutale said the seminar was in line with the Government policy of empowering and capacity building of girls and women, including those in sport.

“Government is working towards ensuring that sport becomes a professional industry that will contribute positively to employment creation and national development,” she said.

And African Union Sports Council Region 5 general manager Stanley Mutoya challenged the women to aspire for top positions in sports organisations.

The two-day seminar which closes today has attracted more than 20 participants from Africa.