Alia Mohammed – Women in Development and Peace
Women’s sports in Yemen have seen an unprecedented boom in recent years. Women’s participation in various sports has increased significantly, and they’ve achieved impressive accomplishments both locally and internationally. Yemeni women participating in sports have played a crucial and pioneering role in supporting and empowering women’s participation in different sports activities. They’ve encouraged girls to engage in various sports, provided support and guidance to young female talents, and created a supportive and motivating environment for girls and women to participate in sports.
Khadija Aadan Muhammad, a member of the Chess Federation in Aden, emphasizes the brilliance that women’s sports in Aden witnessed in the 70s and 80s. That period was characterized by exceptional women’s teams and clubs that played a significant role in every club in Aden. There were seasonal events for women every year, where they fiercely competed for the top three places.
She explained that after the 80s, women’s sports in Aden began to decline. Clubs lost interest in women’s activities, and events organized by the Ministry of Youth and Sports decreased. Women’s sports were limited to occasional events, held infrequently.
Khadija pointed out that the only federation that continues to support women’s sports in Aden is the Table Tennis Federation, which organizes events and tournaments regularly, particularly for youth and women. Unfortunately, other federations have halted their activities.
Khadija emphasizes the importance of sports and physical activity in shaping an individual’s behavior and habits. When discussing behavior or physical activity, she says we are talking about physical education, meaning education through activity.
She added, “Girls who participate in sports generally exhibit high levels of self-confidence and respect for themselves. It nurtures positive traits and shields them from negative tendencies and depression. Moreover, sports participation instills confidence and a sense of belonging as a team, strengthens their moral values, and increases their engagement in society.”
Khadija Aadan highlights the crucial role that women participating in sports have played in promoting a culture of sports participation in society. They have participated in sports, faced challenges, and served as successful and positive role models, breaking down stereotypical images of women in society.
Sports journalist Dunia Hasan, on her part, emphasizes the important role women play in promoting a culture of sports in Yemen. She notes the decline in women’s participation in sports in recent years, necessitating efforts to strengthen the culture of women’s sports and revive sporting activities in various governorates.
She indicated that Aden, in the past, was brimming with female athletes in multiple sports, with participation in both domestic and international events. She stressed the need for a cultural revolution to enhance women’s sports in Yemen and called for the combined efforts of all stakeholders – government, civil society, and the media – to revive sports in Aden and all governorates. This is crucial due to the positive impact women’s sports have on women and society, encouraging women to participate in competitions at the local, Arab, international, and global levels.
A Positive Change
Fatima Hashim, head of relations at the Women’s Sports Committee in Aden, emphasizes the importance of women’s role in all fields, including sports. She points out that women represent half of society, and that comprehensive development cannot be achieved without their active participation. Women’s sports are not just a physical activity, but a symbol of empowerment and liberation. They contribute to boosting women’s self-confidence, improving their health, and enhancing their work performance.
Hashim indicates that expanding women’s participation in sports reflects a positive change in society’s perception of women’s roles. Sports serve as a means to promote equality and achieve comprehensive development.
She stresses the need to adapt to changes in the traditional concept of sporting activities. More attention should be given to women’s sports, and support should be provided to ensure their participation.
This can be achieved through awareness campaigns in schools about the importance of sports, targeting university students through workshops and training courses that highlight the significance of sports in women’s lives, implementing training courses in various games, and raising awareness about the importance of understanding the rules of each game, organizing motivational and refereeing courses to equip the sports field with qualified female referees, holding school tournaments, and attracting girls who have sporting hobbies.
Steps Towards Excellence and Brilliance
Khadija emphasizes the importance of supporting women’s sports activities to create a generation of outstanding female sports teams and lay the foundations for sustainable sports that continue across generations. Regular participation in supported sports activities creates a healthy and active generation that resists chronic diseases and reduces community diseases and crimes resulting from large amounts of leisure time, especially among youth. This makes sports an important remedy for such issues, helping to build a more stable society.
She adds that sports play a vital role in achieving peace by cultivating values of tolerance among players, respecting others, representing their countries in international tournaments, and portraying a positive image of their countries. She stresses the importance of concerted efforts from federations and sports clubs to prepare referees and coaches from players, conduct training courses for female teams, train and qualify them, establish women’s training halls, and pay attention to implementing and holding annual inter-governorate tournaments to ensure the continuity of training and the activity of female teams. It is also crucial that the state authority or those in charge of sports pay attention to the role of women in sports and give this aspect significant importance to change society’s culture towards sports and recognize its important role in this field.
Fatima Hashim emphasizes the importance of establishing women-only training centers equipped with all tools and equipment, offering all sporting activities for women. These centers should be staffed by female coaches, referees, and administrative teams, providing women with more privacy, security and freedom
Journalist Dunia points out the importance of women getting back into sports and emphasizes the need for those in charge of sports to highlight this issue. She calls for government and private organizations to focus on women’s participation in sports, and to work on guiding their roles and interests to support and develop women’s athletic talent.
She explains that the Ministry of Youth and Sports has made some attempts and initiatives to include women in various sports, but calls for more active involvement by including women in more tournaments, like chess, table tennis, and other sports. She stresses the need for sports clubs to actively recruit women athletes, train them, and involve them in training courses in order to develop societal thinking and ensure the return of women’s sports.
The role of female athletes is crucial to supporting and strengthening women’s participation in sports. Everyone hopes that their continued efforts will contribute to more success and achievements for women in all sports.
