Alia Mohammed – Women in Development and Peace
Women’s sports worldwide are considered a crucial element of the sports system, acting as a fundamental pillar for progress and prosperity in various societies. They have played a significant role in eliminating gender discrimination, improving physical and mental health, boosting self-confidence, and overcoming challenges.
In Yemeni society, many women have not had the opportunity to participate in sports due to the societal norms that typically only allow men to engage in sporting activities. Those who have had the chance to enter this field, have faced significant hurdles and only achieved success after overcoming cultural, social, and even economic obstacles.
Recognizing the importance of empowering women through sports and enhancing their role in Yemeni society, local and international organizations have played a crucial role in supporting, promoting, and developing women’s sports at various levels.
Sports Events and Activities
Sports are a fundamental cornerstone in building and developing communities, playing a crucial role in enhancing individual and community health and achieving human development. The Yemeni Olympic Committee has shown great interest in women’s sports and has made diligent efforts to boost their participation across various sports disciplines.
Since it started its activities in 1999, the Yemeni Olympic Committee has strived to achieve gender equality by providing women athletes with opportunities to participate in domestic and international competitions, with a minimum representation of 30%. This has been instrumental in promoting a culture of women’s participation in sports.
The Sports and Women Committee within the Olympic Committee has organized awareness seminars and workshops on the importance of women’s sports at various levels, including schools, clubs, federations, and entities involved in women’s sports, such as universities and ministries linked to women’s sports activities. The aim is to raise awareness about the importance of women’s sports and their benefits on women’s and community health.
As part of efforts to enhance women’s sports, the Women’s Sports Committee in Aden Governorate organized the “First Women’s Sports Games Festival” in 2023, with widespread participation from girls representing various clubs in the governorate. This showcases Yemeni society’s interest in women’s sports and its efforts to support and develop them.
The festival featured various activities, including artistic performances and carnivals by players from the governorate’s clubs, as well as demonstrations of several sports such as indoor football, volleyball, table tennis, badminton, chess, athletics, weightlifting, gymnastics, karate, and tennis.
The festival aimed to revitalize and promote several sports among schoolgirls and students, and to reposition women’s sports as a leading force locally and regionally, by devising plans and programs for the development of women’s sports.
In July 2023, Taiz witnessed a distinctive initiative aimed at promoting peace culture and enhancing women’s participation in sports through the “Chess for Peace” tournament organized by the “Develop Your Community” organization in collaboration with the Youth and Sports Office in Taiz Governorate and the German Agency for International Cooperation. One hundred girls from different age groups participated, with 80 competing and 20 supervising contestants, underscoring Yemeni girls’ interest in chess and their desire to participate in such events.
On their part, the Yemeni Association for Sports Media, which is an independent civil organization concerned with sports media affairs, organized a training course on women’s sports that included many Yemeni female journalists. The aim is to enhance the skills of female journalists in covering women’s sports events and highlighting the achievements of Yemeni women in various sports fields.
Organizations and their Importance in Supporting Women’s Sports
Organizations have played a vital role in supporting women’s sports in Yemen by providing the necessary opportunities and resources for women to participate in various sports activities.
Sports trainer Ilham Al-Haddad believes that organizations have a significant role in supporting women’s sports activities, pointing out the various entities that support women’s sports in Yemen. These organizations have sought to provide opportunities for Yemeni female athletes to participate in the Olympics and international tournaments by providing the necessary support through financial and technical assistance that allows Yemeni sports federations and clubs to organize tournaments and sports events at governmental and regional levels.
She added: “Several women’s sports federations have organized sports competitions for women and developed training programs to enhance their participation in various sports events. Organizations have also funded many women’s sports projects, such as establishing new sports facilities, providing sports equipment, and organizing training programs.”
Some sports clubs have implemented programs that promote women’s sports culture by providing sports programs for female students in schools and universities, encouraging them to participate in various sports activities. She emphasized that international organizations, civil society organizations, clubs, and sports federations are making great efforts to build the capacity of those working in the sports field by organizing training courses for coaches, referees, administrators, and athletes. They are also working on spreading sports culture among community members, especially women, and empowering women in the sports field by encouraging them to participate in various sports activities.
Challenges and Difficulties
Amid the current situation in Yemen, international organizations and civil society organizations have faced some difficulties and challenges that have limited their ability to support women’s sports activities as needed and reach all areas to support sports events. The deteriorating security situation is one of the prominent challenges facing the work of local and international organizations in continuing to support the sports field, especially women’s sports. The ongoing conflict in Yemen constitutes one of the main challenges facing women’s sports, leading to the suspension of many women’s sports activities and events in more than one governorate.
Furthermore, the deteriorating economic situation in the country has reduced the budgets allocated to sports, resulting in a severe shortage of financial resources available to organizations operating in the sports field. This has decreased the opportunities to establish and implement programs supporting women’s sports clubs and federations. Additionally, there is a lack of sports infrastructure and a weak women’s sports culture.
Attempts to Overcome Challenges
Despite the challenges facing international organizations and civil society organizations supporting women’s participation in sports activities, they continue to play their role in providing support for annual sports activities. To continue doing so, efforts and resources must be intensified to activate the role of organizations, change the social and cultural practices that restrict women’s sports in Yemen, and confront security and economic challenges.
According to experts in the sports field, raising awareness about the importance of women’s sports is one of the most important factors affecting women’s sports in Yemen, through implementing various media campaigns and awareness programs that organizations should focus on.
In addition to the importance of providing organizations with financial and moral support to those working in the field of women’s sports, contributing to enhancing their capacities and developing their programs, organizations work on providing sports facilities dedicated to women in various areas, especially in rural areas and areas lacking services.
Local organizations have a deep understanding of the needs of local communities and can conduct a comprehensive assessment of the sports needs of women in different areas. Based on the assessment results, local organizations can identify areas that require specific support, such as building new sports facilities, renovating existing facilities, providing suitable sports equipment, or even prioritizing the rehabilitation of female sports infrastructure. Local organizations can also seek funding opportunities from various sources, such as local governments, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector.
The participation of local and international organizations is essential to ensure the development of appropriate sports infrastructure for women and enhance their active participation in various sports activities, through working together with all relevant parties to create a healthy and safe environment that enables women to practice and enjoy sports.
