Sport as an embodied practice may liberate girls and women from constraining hegemonic feminine ideals,
“Empower them within their communities, provide positive health and welfare outcomes, and ultimately transform gendered notion leading to a more egalitarian world and unleashing the productive, intellectual and social power of women.”
Martha Saaverda
This then would contribute to overall development economic, social and political.”
Involvement of girls and women in sport and physical activity programmes can have a significant potential contribution to make to development agendas, particularly in the achievement of the third goal of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, ‘Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women’. According to the United Nations Division for the Advancement of Women in “Women 2000 and Beyond: Women, Gender Equality and Sports”.
The participation of women and girls in sport challenges gender based stereotypes and discrimination, and can therefore be a vehicle to promote gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls. In particular, women in sport leadership can shape attitudes towards women’s capabilities as leaders and decision-makers, especially in traditional male domains. Women’s involvement in sports can make a significant contribution to public life and
community development”
