The Kigali Key to Success is issued by the delegates at the “Advancing Women in Leadership Forum for Africa and Asia” held in Kigali, Rwanda, on 9 to 11 August 2017.
The 251 participants from 71 countries were representatives of National Olympic Committees, International Federations, National Federations, Continental Associations, International Organisations and the business world.
Background
1. More than 20 years have passed since the International Olympic Committee “IOC” called on
the entire Olympic Movement to take into consideration the issue of gender equality in all of
its policies, programmes and procedures and to make special efforts to increase the number
of women in decision-making positions;
2. Recalling the commitment to “pro-active action” by the participants in the first
Afro-Asia Forum on Women in Sport, which took place in Kuwait in 2013;
3. The delegates noted that, despite the constant efforts to increase the male infertility in governing bodies, inequalities between women and men persist in the sports world.
In Africa and Asia at Executive Board level 9 NOC’s have achieved the 30% representation target as of 2017, 7 are above 20% and 47 are yet to meet the target (between 0 and 20%);
In General Assemblies 8 NOC’s have achieved the 30% representation target as of 2017, 9 are above 20% and 45 are yet to meet the target (between 0 and 20%);
4. They further recognised that, at the current pace of change, it will take several years to achieve gender equality in all aspects of sport;
5. Participants further declared that changes will only be possible if men and women join efforts to eradicate all evils that are still hindering women from fully enjoying sport at all levels;
6. In 2013 the following special measures were recommended:
– Monitoring mechanism
– Succession plans
– Limited terms of office
– Annual forums for Sports Media
– Detailed data collection and research
– Bi-annual forums for African and Asian organisations
– Women & Sport desk within ANOCA and OCA
– Leveraging partnerships with UN Agencies, NGO’s and civil society
7. While world leaders have made a strong commitment to end gender inequalities by 2030 within the Sustainable Development Goals; participants expressed the need for the sports movement to align their gender policies and strategies with the rest of the world;
8. Delegates agreed to issue an outcome document that could be a catalyst for all stakeholders in sport; and to inspire a wider range of leaders in the sports world;
The last two days of the forum were reserved for the six following constructive panel discussions:
1. It is time for women to run for office
2. Championing Gender Equality– Everyone should get involved
3. Temporarily Special Measures to speed things up: what solutions?
4. Sustainable progress towards gender equality needs the media
5. Leadership: Educating youngsters and athletes to ensure the succession
6. Promoting Women’s leadership in communities through partnership
All the above panel discussions led us to the following keys to success and the delegates of the Forum called for all participating organisations to implement:
1. Using best examples from existing strategies, all sports organisations to adapt/develop a clear strategy to promote gender equality and to leave a concrete legacy of access and opportunity for women and girls at all levels of sport by 2018; be accountable to implement the strategy by 2020.
2. Sports leaders to take up the role of gender equality champion / identify gender equality champions within their organisations to prioritise gender equality and establish concrete commitments that are measurable, time bound and published by 2018 (see attached action plan for examples).
3. IOC, ANOC, ANOCA, NOC’s and IF’s to promote gender equality as a good governance principle and set up special measures to ensure electoral processes that allow for diverse representation (see attached action plan for examples);
4. NOCs, IFs and NFs to utilise specific programmes to help female athletes in their career transition, and to support aspiring female leaders in sports administration to get involved in the decision making bodies and to take up leadership roles.
5. Sports leaders to enhance existing partnerships and MOU’s by actively collaborating with governments, UN Agencies, sponsors, international organisations and civil society to use sports as a platform to instil a strong culture of gender equality with a special focus on youth;
6.Sports organisations to establish principles for the fair and balanced portrayal of women and coverage of women sports within their own organisations (see attached action plan for examples);
7.Media to champion gender equality, and to portray women in sport using messages that focus on achievements and personal stories.
8. The Olympic Channel to offer media training workshops to reach better gender balanced media coverage; and
9. Urge NOCs, IFs and NFs to establish comprehensive monitoring systems to evaluate the implementation of the strategy (1) and promote best practices towards advancing Women in Leadership.
CONCLUSION
We conclude by:
- Expressing our gratitude to the Presidents of the IOC and the Chair of the IOC Women in Sport Commission for the initiative, support and resources that have made this Forum possible and a great success.
- Expressing our support to the IOC, ANOC, ANOCA and the OCA for the inclusion of gender equality as part of good governance within the Olympic Movement. We urge them to set up the necessary monitoring mechanisms to ensure that every NOC and NF implements and practises a gender equality policy and strategy at all levels and at all events.
- Expressing our gratitude to H.E. Paul Kagame, President of the Republic of Rwanda; and through him the entire Government of Rwanda and President of the Rwanda National Olympic and Sports Committee, Ambassador Valens Munyabagisha for their welcome and hospitality. We request that the NOC President convey the same to his colleagues, staff and volunteers for their efficient service and professionalism during this successful event.
