Rabat Hosts First ICESCO Forum on 'Women and Sport'

The first Forum on “Women and Sport”, initiated by the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), kicked off Friday in Rabat in the presence of women pioneers from different countries across the world.

This first forum is meant to highlight the exceptional leadership of women in sport and to present recommendations to enrich public policies aimed at strengthening their participation in this field, in addition to facilitating learning and the exchange of experiences among women leaders.

This event also intends to highlight 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.

Speaking at the opening of this forum, Minister of National Education, Preschool Learning and Sports, Chakib Benmoussa, stressed the prominent place that Morocco gives to all types of sports.

The government policy in the field of sport has paid particular attention to the promotion of women’s sports in all regions of the Kingdom, explained the Minister, stressing that the interest in women’s sports stems from its importance in achieving the objectives of sustainable development, the consolidation of social progress, the promotion of the values of peace, respect for others and tolerance as well as the fight against all forms of gender-based violence.

In this sense, the Minister recalled the creation in 2010 of the National Network for the Promotion of Women’s Sport which was renamed in 2011, “National Committee for the Promotion of Women’s Sport” whose missions are to organize and promote activities and programs dedicated to women’s sports, especially in rural areas and for the benefit of vulnerable social categories.

The Ministry works to organize programs and activities to promote sport for all, while ensuring that women can also benefit from these activities, noted Benmoussa.

For his part, Minister of Youth, Culture and Communication, Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid, said in an address read on his behalf that this forum is an important initiative for the integration and empowerment of women in the field of sports in the Islamic world and elsewhere, as well as an opportunity to enrich the discussion and share best practices in order to support women’s participation and advance their leadership in this field.

ICESCO director general Salim Mohammed Al Malik said that this event represents a step towards empowering girls and women around the world in the field of sport in order to build a more peaceful and sustainable world.