A section of sports stakeholders in Uasin Gishu County has challenged the national government and devolved units to work on ensuring gender equality in funding for sports.
Led by Charity Wang’oma of the Mama Diouf Foundation, the stakeholders lament that women’s sports have been financially suffering due to a lack of sponsorship.
Speaking at Moi Marula Primary School in Eldoret town after a convention themed ‘Making the case for Women’s Sports Sponsorship – Towards a gender equal Sporting Future’, Mama Diouf, as Charity is popularly known, said women’s sports has been struggling due to unequal distribution of resources.
“We’re fighting for a gender-equal sporting future for the young girls and women,” she said.
“There is a lot of discrimination in sports. Male sports are given more priority, but for us, all we want is all about equal distribution of resources,” Mama Diouf added.
Sexual abuses in women’s football
During the convention, it was also resolved that as a measure to curb sexual abuses that women face from their coaches, a women’s football team must have at least 75 per cent of management females.
It will also be mandatory for every female football team to have a woman as the coach and team manager.
“This will ensure our girls are safe and secure,” said Mama Diouf.
“If we have an all-men management, they take a lot of advantage of the girls who are forced to give sexual favours to progress in their careers,” she added.
Further, the convention was used to sensitize girls on how they can raise issues of sexual harassment they might encounter during their training sessions.
Uasin Gishu County Executive Committee Member for Sports Eng. Lucy Ng’endo Njoroge graced the convention.
Speaking after the event, Eng. Ng’endo affirmed the county’s commitment to supporting women’s sports.
“I want to give my full support and assurance of the county’s goodwill. Women’s football will also be looked into very well,” said the CECM.
She named changing rooms and washrooms for ladies as some areas the county will be looking into improving at the existing fields.
The CECM also pledged to ensure construction works on stadiums in Eldoret are completed as quickly as possible.
There are ongoing construction works for the 64 Stadium being funded by the World Bank and Kipchoge Keino Stadium that the national government is spearheading.
Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba recently assured that the government would support the two projects.
