10 Mar 2016

International Working Group on Women and Sport (IWG) hosted fitness day in celebration of the International women’s day in Gaborone. 

During the event, director of Health Services in the Ministry of Health Dr Khumo Seipone encouraged people to adopt physical activity as a way of lifestyle.

She said this calls for a commitment to engage on some form of activity regularly to avoid the scourge that is slowly eating away communities. 

She noted non-communicable diseases as culprits which kills people.

“Non-communicable diseases are more prevalent than HIV, malaria put together,” she said. However she advised that a regular activity programme can help improve sugar levels, low blood pressure and mental health. Dr Seipone said research has shown that people with non-communicable diseases risk factors and enjoy regular physical activity have lower death rates.

Therefore she advised people to take part in physical activity. 

“People with heart disease who are physically fit live longer and have fewer heart attacks than heart patients who are not physically fit,” she said.

Dr Seipone emphasised on consultation with medical practitioners as also a key journey to a longer life.

She also emphasised the need for family support units saying it is important to encourage each other to stay on track and avoid becoming statistics of this diseases.

For her part Vuyelwa Segokgo gender affairs advocate in the ministry of Land and Home affairs addressed issues of gender differences that often show a disadvantaged and weaker position of women and girls in social, political, economic and educational issues. Segokgo said to address this imbalance and bring the pendulum to equilibrium, women and girls need to be empowered. 

“Women empowerment in our present society has become a significant topic of discussion in regards to development and economics,” she said.

She further said women and girls should have equal chances as their male counterparts, in sports, education administration in work places. 

Moreover she said as a global community there should be constant readiness to deal directly with barriers. 

Barriers that hinder the progress and effective measures be put in place to empower women and girls.

Segokgo attributed the barriers to women empowerment and equity as ingrained to cultural norms. 

She advised that women should not let cultural norms hold them down but challenge those which are irrelevant.

She also explained that many women feel the pressure while others have become accustomed to being treated inferior to men. 

She further said even men are aware of the benefits of women empowerment and some are scared to disrupt the status quo.

Therefore she said continuing to let societal norms get in the way of development, while in the process subjecting and suppressing women downwardly.

“Studies have shown that women face more barriers in the workplace than men, with gender related barriers involving sexual harassment, unfair hiring practices,” said Segokgo. 

However she advised that women and youth have the capacity to spur economic growth and reduce poverty in the world if given access to education.

She quoted the late former president of South Africa saying ‘education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world’. 

Therefore she said through education any obstacle can be conquered with ease.

She concluded saying when girls are fit, educated, healthy they can easily make informed decision in their lives. Ends