Sport and Socio-economic considerations
In many of today’s developing
countries, everyday tasks to meet basic needs (food, shelter, etc.)
require most time, leaving few to think of the perceived ‘luxury’
of recreational activities. In most cases, work conducted by women
and girls in the home as providers of food and carers of the family
is not considered as productive because it is not a directly
income-generating activity, which implies the assumption that females
may not require recreational or free time as much as men. In such
contexts, it is important to determine the extent to which women and
girls can access time and resources to participate in sport.
In developing countries, lack of time
and division of labour between men and women may prevent women and
girls from participating in social activities outside the home,
including sport. At the beginning of the 20th century in Western
Europe, most female sports were exclusive to the wealthier, upper
class groups who had time to spare.
Socio-cultural issues
The socio-cultural context of
established gender norms must be considered when conducting sport
programmes that aim to address gender norms. It may be considered a
provocation for women and girls in some contexts, to be seen in
public, wearing sports attire that may not cover all parts of the
body. Not behaving according to established gender norms determined
by socio-cultural influences, can have significant negative
consequences for those who deviate from these norms.
Safety concerns
Sport and physical activity deals
primarily with the body and “physicality”. Adults or older
children may hold a position of power in relation to their younger
counterparts, especially when they are in the role of a coach or
trainer. In this sense, children and young people are in a position
of vulnerability. Codes of conduct for coaches and appropriate
reporting systems are necessary to avoid incidents of possible abuse
or exploitation.
The lack of appropriate facilities
(e.g. with changing rooms, water and sanitation facilities, etc.)
and/or sports equipment can deter women and girls from participating
in sport activities. The risk of injury, especially towards women and
girls, can be particularly restrictive.
Material, infrastructural and
technical issues
Evidence from a sports programme in
Bam, Iran shows that girls and women could only participate in sports
and physical activity indoors, protected from public view. During the
summer, activities were cancelled because it was not possible to open
windows and doors while the female participants were playing.
Experience shows that facilities that
are close to residential areas, with appropriate lighting are more
likely to have greater participation of women and girls. Activities
should also be scheduled at appropriate times, e.g. before dusk.
Ideals of masculinity and femininity
Sport is often perceived to express
heterosexuality and male excellence. Experience shows that in most
contexts, women who would like to be successful in sport competition
have to demonstrate some ‘typically male’ attributes (such as:
ambition, self-confidence, aggressiveness and power). Girls and women
who ‘trespass’ on these socially and culturally defined
boundaries, are seen to challenge and perhaps transform
well-protected gender norms.
Lack of female role models
Research has shown that most girls
learn ‘culturally-appropriate styles of movement’ by imitating
their older female counterparts. But communicating the achievements
of those exceptional women to others remains a challenge.
For example, media coverage of sports
remains biased towards male sport, with comparatively less attention
paid to the accomplishments of female athletes. Practical efforts to
focus attention on the triumphs of women and girls in sport have
shown to help other women and girls perceive possibilities for
developing themselves
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