WASBO vocal about Women & Girls’ Participation in Sport

Gazette Reporter

Women and Sport Botswana (WASBO) convened for their National Annual General Meeting (AGM) over the weekend in Gaborone to update regions and affiliates about the state of affairs of the organisation, and the progress that they have made in the year 2021. WASBO is currently embarking on a follow up study that intends to measure women and girls’ participation in sport in Botswana post a baseline survey that was conducted in 2017 through the support of the Botswana National Olympic Committee (BNSC). The follow up study has also been done as a legacy project that will be presented at the International Working Group (IWG) on Women and Sport slated for New Zealand next year.
In an interview with Gazette Sport recently, WASBO Secretary General Keenese Katisenge- Tizhani said their AGM was fruitful as the member affiliates were updated with everything that has been going on and the focus was on the follow up study that is set to be presented in New Zealand as the legacy project from 2018 when Botswana hosted the world on the IWG Conference. “The study is also conducted in line with the IWG big 5 legacy, which is a national legacy that was left in 2018. It is basically to measure the level of participation to assess the impact and see the changes that have happened since 2018 and to see and map a way forward for any gaps and loopholes or any lack of implementation in certain areas that will be identified by the study,” she said.
She further stated that they went on to update the members on the working relationship between WASBO and the national associations since they are of the view that they play a bigger role and have the added responsibility of ensuring that they work accordingly. “When we talk about gender equality and equity the primary and secondary stakeholders and audiences are under the national sport associations either at club or national level, so it is important that we have a good relationship between the national sport associations and ensure that there is a deliberation and engagements and strong partnerships in order for us to understand each other’s mandate. Some issues that were discussed were the leadership development empowerment for women and girls’ programs that were also hosted in preparations for elections for national sport associaitions as we are of the view that we have to keep on preparing women,” Katisinge-Tizhani added.