15 Feb 2016

The International Working Group (IWG) and Botswana Karate Association (BOKA) have signed Brighton Plus 2014 declaration on women and sport.

The declaration would ensure that all women and girls had an opportunity to participate in sport and physical activity in a safe and supportive environment.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, the BOKA president stated that they had been promoting women participation in karate but it was not enough because they were lacking knowledge.

He said since they would be working with IWG it would help them increase participation of women in leadership positions.

For her part, secretary general of IWG, Game Mothusi said they were going to sit down with BOKA and decide on activities and programmes that could be run by karate.

“We are going to advice karate on certain elements including their facilities to see how they can support women, to see if they have resources and if they do not have resources what can be done,” she said.

The co-chairperson of IWG,  Ruth Maphorisa highlighted that karate had made a significant progress in terms of development of women, especially in leadership positions.

The Brighton Plus 2014 declaration urges the international sporting community to take immediate and concrete actions in order to accelerate positive change in the areas of sport policy, leadership and coaching among others. ENDS