Gender Issues in Disability Sport: Strategies for Engaging Girls and Women

in Sport and Physical Activity

Speaker Overview – Ann Cody

• Director of Policy and Global Outreach, BlazeSports America

• International Paralympic Committee, Governing Board

• IOC 2018 Commission

• Paralympian (1984, 1988, 1992)

Current Situation of Girls & women w/ Disabilities:

• Represent 10% of all females worldwide or 325 million people

• Are among the more vulnerable and marginalized of society (General Assembly, June 2000)

• Have a literacy rate of 1% (UNDP)

Current Situation of Girls and Women with Disabilities

• Make up 25% of the global workforce (UN)

• Are at significant risk due to stigmas associated with both disability and gender

• Are seldom consulted or incorporated into development projects

• Have the most to gain from sport participation

Current Situation of Girls and Women with Disabilities

• Experience prejudice based on gender and disability • Women with disabilities have double or triple the challenges • Experience barriers to competition, training, team selection,

field of play and leadership positions

Challenges of Women in Paralympic Sport

Sport Benefits

• Sport builds confidence, improves academic success

• Sport develops skills like teamwork, goal-setting, the pursuit of excellence

• Sport enhances function, mobility and independence

Sport Benefits

• Sport provides a strong network, peer support and mentoring

• Sport reduces depression, substance abuse and other risky behaviors

International Platforms and Conventions

• UN Convention on the Rights of Women - Brighton Declaration

• IOC Gender Equity Policy

• IPC Gender Equity Policy

• UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities

• UN Convention on the Rights of the Child

International Platforms and Conventions

Brighton Declaration (1995)

The Principles : 1. Equity and Equality in Society and Sport 2. Facilities 3. School and Junior Sport 4. Developing Participation 5. High Performance Sport 6. Leadership in Sport 7. Education, Training and Development 8. Sports Information and Research 9. Resources 10.Domestic and International Cooperation

• IPC mission – increasing the participation of women is a priority.

- Brighton Declaration of 1995

• Sport competition opportunities and slots for women.

• Develop women leaders and opportunities in leadership positions.

International Paralympic Committee

• IPC Women in Sport Committee

• Regional Leadership Summits - Iran hosted 1st Women’s

Summit in 2004

• BlazeSports Women’s International Leadership Academy

• Africa Women’s Projects (example of good practice)

Initiatives for Women

• Sport policy changes and organized advocacy

- 50/50 Solidarity Funding - Universality Wild Cards - Strategic Decisions (ex: Women’s Wheelchair Basketball for Sydney;

equal number photos in brochures etc.)

• Sport specific development projects

• BlazeSports internships

• Grassroots advocacy - Importance of coalitions and networking - Mentoring emerging women leaders - Engaging men’s support in advocacy for women

Initiatives for Women

• More women are taking leadership positions in sports organizations, NPCs and IPC.

• There has been a steady increase in the participation rate of female athletes over the past four Paralympic Games. (24% to 35%)

• There has been a remarkable increase in the number of countries bringing female athletes to Paralympic Games (47% – 80%).

What Are We Doing Well?

http://usparalympics.org/multimedia/photo_gallery/276/photo/4731

• 1960 Rome –32% women athletes* • 1964 Tokyo – 30% women athletes* • 1968 Tel Aviv – 25% women athletes • 1972 Heidelberg – 29% women athletes • 1976 Toronto – 21 % women athletes • 1980 Arnhem – 26% women athletes • 1984 New York/Stoke Mandeville – 26% women athletes • 1988 Seoul – 22% women athletes • 1992 Barcelona – 23% women athletes • 1996 Atlanta – 24% women athletes • 2000 Sydney – 26% women athletes • 2004 Athens – 31% women athletes • 2008 Beijing – 35% women athletes

* Based on medalists data

Women in Paralympic Games

• 1976 Örnsköldsvik – 17% women athletes • 1980 Geilo – 23% women athletes • 1984 Innsbruck – 22% women athletes • 1988 Innsbruck – 20% women athletes • 1992 Tignes/Albertville – 21% women athletes • 1994 Lillehammer – 19% women athletes • 1998 Nagano – 22% women athletes • 2002 Salt Lake City – 21% women athletes • 2006 Torino – 21% women athletes • 2010 Vancouver – 24% women athletes

Women in Paralympic Winter Games

What Do We Need to Do?

• Increase participation of women and girls at the local level

• Provide women with more competitive sports opportunities

• Showcase women athletes and sports

• Involve women in outreach programs to recruit more female athletes

• Develop more women coaches

What Do We Need to Do?

• Provide training and education opportunities to enable girls and women to become leaders in their community

• Showcase women as successful athletes, coaches, officials, role models, and leaders

• Include women in visible decision-making positions or bodies

What Do We Need to Do?

Why Paralympic Sport?

• Enhances the quality of life

• Creates environment for success

• Increases visibility and awareness

• Enriches the environment for all participants

• Produces highly effective results (education, employment, independence)

Paralympic Sport:

How Do We Empower Girls and Women in Paralympic Sport?

• Provide opportunities

• Secure resources to sustain programs

• Ensure choice

• Build skills

• Change lives

Recommendations?

• Recognize girls and women with disabilities as a global

sport responsibility

• Engage girls and women with disabilities as stakeholders, athletes, coaches, role models, and leaders

• Require all projects to include girls and women with disabilities

• Fund projects that target girls and women with disabilities

Recommendations

www.blazesports.org Thank You