Dr. Kidd,
Distinguished Delegates,
Friends,

It is a special pleasure and honour for me to be here today to address the 2002 World Conference on Women and Sport, as Special Adviser of the Secretary-General on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women at the United Nations.

At the outset, I would like to pay tribute to the Government and people of Canada for hosting this Conference and for the generous hospitality extended to all of us. I also would like to thank Dr. Kidd for his kind introduction and the International Working Group on Women and Sport for their invitation and warm reception.

In my view, it is entirely appropriate to address the future of women and sports here in Canada, a country with unwavering commitment to the ideals of gender equality and the advancement of women and where such a wide variety of sports is played. Canada has given to the world, many fantastic women athletes. A few of the best known include Barbara Ann Scott, Ada MacKenzie, Lucile Wheeler, Nancy Green, the members of the legendary women's basketball team, Edmonton Grads, and Abby Hoffman who was obliged to disguise herself as a boy so as to break the traditional male barriers to women in hockey. These women are among pioneers in sports who started shattering the glass ceiling. Canada's most recent initiatives to develop a Canadian Strategy for Girls and Women through Physical Activity and Sport; and the convening of a National Conference on Women, Sport and Physical Activity, to be held in Hamilton, in November 2002, are the latest examples of the country's commitment to gender equality and sports.

This Conference is about the celebration of women athletes, their courage, indomitable spirit and stamina. But it is also about the future of women and sports, how we widen and deepen the sport's impact and scope on women and girls, and on the wider global agenda.

Some may wonder about the value of holding a debate about women and sport as widespread poverty, disease, conflict and violence still continue to affect millions of women and girls. In response, I would say that since the First World Conference on Women in Mexico City 1975, Governments, women activists and feminists, women's groups, civil society and academia have indeed tended to undervalue women and sports and focused rather on what women and the international community considered to be more critical issues. Women and sports, for example, receives limited attention in the 1995 Beijing Platform for Action, and only in relation to women and health.

Nevertheless, through sport, one learns fair play, mutual understanding, solidarity and friendship. Athletic competition undertaken in the spirit of mutual respect, fairness, and good sportsmanship is an ideal way to foster goodwill and good relations between peoples. These values are United Nations' values that transcend national boundaries. They have inspired more than 150 world leaders to include in the historic Final Declaration of the United Nations Millennium Summit in September 2000 an appeal to observe the Olympic Truce and to promote peace and human understanding through sport and the Olympic ideal. Women and sport was recognized in other United Nations' fora. For example, the Beijing Platform urges Governments to give particular attention to the needs of girls including their need for healthy behaviour such as physical activities (para 106(l)). The Platform also urged Governments to enable girls to participate in sport and physical activity on the same basis as men and boys through the creation of programmes in schools, at the workplace and in the community (107(f)). By 2000, Beijing+5 expanded this call by asking Governments to include women and girls in cultural, recreational and sports activities at the national, regional and international levels and to give equal access to training, competition, remuneration and prizes.

The importance of sports, and women's and girls' full and equal participation therein was highlighted also in a number of other United Nations' Conferences and events. This could be seen as a clear indication of the lack of such opportunities for women, and, consequently, a need for pro-active measures by Governments and other stakeholders. Let me mention three examples.

The Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development, Cairo, 1994, requests Governments to ensure the enhancement of women's full involvement in policy and decision-making processes … and participation in all aspects of production, employment, education, health, science and sports. (ICPD Programme of Action, para 4.3(b))

More recently, the Second World Assembly on Ageing adopted in April 2002 in Madrid, the International Plan of Action for Ageing which encouraged older persons to maintain or adopt an active and healthy lifestyle, including physical activity and sport (para 65(h)). Finally just last week Friday (10 May), the Special Session of the General Assembly on Children adopted "A World Fit for Children" which recognized the benefits of quality physical activities and sport for children. World leaders at the Children's Summit also agreed to provide accessible recreational and sports opportunities and facilities at schools and in communities and to promote physical, mental and emotional health among children, including adolescents, through play, sports, recreation, artistic and cultural expression.

Apart from the policy frameworks set out by the global conferences, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, often called the "bill of rights for women", creates legal obligations for action on the part of its 169 States Parties. As a legal instrument that aims at the elimination of discrimination against women and the promotion of equality, the Convention also addresses discrimination against women in sports. Since the United Nations' establishment over 56 years ago, a large part of its policy, normative and operational work has been directed towards the elimination of discrimination, including discrimination against women in sports. Article 13(c) of the United Nations CEDAW Convention calls on its States Parties to take all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against women and ensure the equal rights with men "to participate in recreational activities, sports and all aspects of cultural life". The Convention also called on States Parties to undertake all appropriate measures to ensure equality between women and men in education, including the provision of the same opportunities to participate actively in sports and physical education (CEDAW Article 10(g)).

In keeping with the framework set by our Conference organizers, I will speak specifically (a) on progress within the United Nations in enhancing the quality of life of women and girls, (b) on challenges of finding areas where sports and physical activities can play a role in the United Nations' initiatives, and finally (c) on priorities for the future.

Progress
As we look at progress made in the global arena of women's advancement, there are many milestones.

In the past decade, our review and appraisal of progress made since the 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women, in Beijing and since Beijing+5 in June 2000 to the present, shows that most women can expect to live longer than their mothers. They are better nourished, enjoy better health, are better educated and, on the whole, face more favourable economic prospects. Progress has been made in establishing national institutions for the advancement of women. Governments have taken steps to ensure that the realities of women's lives are more explicitly addressed in planning and policy-making. Women's role in power and decision-making and its importance for society are recognized as a priority by a growing number of countries. Member States increasingly apply affirmative action policies and develop training programmes for women's leadership, including quota systems and targets. India, for example, has 33 per cent women in panchayats or local community councils. In another remarkable instance, 24 per cent women were elected to the first ever Constituent Assembly in East Timor last year.

Governments all over the world have also enacted legislation to comply with human rights and international labour conventions that promote women's economic rights, equal access to economic resources and equality in employment. Women's share of employment has substantially increased, especially in the service sector. Significant progress has been achieved in girls' education and training at all levels, especially where there was sufficient political commitment and resource allocation. Steps have been taken to improve women's access to health care, including attention to gender perspectives in health care systems, wider access to sexual and reproductive health care, prevention and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDs and greater emphasis on mental and environmental health, and the effects of occupational hazards on women. Most States have also emphasized eradication of violence against women as a priority area in national crime prevention strategies.

In the area of women's human rights, provisions guaranteeing the enjoyment of human rights without discrimination on the basis of sex have been included in many Constitutions. Women's access to justice at the national and international levels improved. Perhaps the most significant achievement was the adoption on 6 December 1999 of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) giving the right to individual women to have their complaints heard before the CEDAW Committee, once all national legal remedies have been exhausted. Overall, 38 States Parties have ratified the Protocol.

In sport and physical activities there has also been marked progress through a dramatic increase in the participation of women and girls. Many of the barriers impeding women athletes' access to sporting events, particularly at the international level, facilities, equipment, decision-making positions, training and competition, are breaking down.

We know the benefits of this participation. Women and girls sportspersons have higher self-esteem, lower rates of depression and a more positive body image than women and girls who do not participate. Those who practice sports learn how to discipline their bodies through exercise and develop persistence and stamina, which helps them to be effective in whatever they do, and encourages them to play leadership roles.

Second, women and girls who play team sports learn about teamwork and are not afraid of competition. They also learn about social and group dynamics. Women and girls who play individual sports learn how to strive for their personal best.

Third, by seeking self-development and fulfillment, sport helps us to move forward our broad agenda for the advancement of women and provides a medium for overcoming challenges at the individual and collective levels. Apart from providing spectacular feats of competition, skill and stamina, sporting events are rich in symbolic significance and provides role models for women and girls. In the search for excellence, each athlete is equal, and victory is the result of ability, training, hard work and perseverance. Discrimination on whatever grounds is incompatible with a true sporting spirit.

Challenges
One cannot understand the challenges faced by women in sports without going beyond the infrastructure of sport to consider broader economic, social and political factors of women's lives.

In the broader framework of the situation of women worldwide, challenges remain. These can be seen in the growing scourge of trafficking of women and girls; increased incidence of domestic violence against women and girls throughout their lifespan; increased targetting of women and children in armed conflict (Bosnia Herzegovina, Rwanda, Sierra Leone); the faster spread of HIV/AIDS amongst women and girls; and the continuing high levels of poverty among them.

Just as these global challenges remain, so do those for women in sports.

Discrimination against women and girls in sports is perhaps one of the lingering and less visible challenges. Such discrimination violates human rights as it leads to the categorization of women athletes and trainers as inferior and less deserving of equal treatment or equal enjoyment of rights. Discrimination takes many forms. Women are denied equal access to sport facilities, adequate funding of sporting events and fair coverage of their achievements in the media. Professional women athletes are also frequently less well paid than their male counterparts.

Legislation is needed to prohibit discrimination against women and girls in sports, including access to sporting events and facilities. As a first step, legislation should uphold women athletes' rights to equal pay and employment and provide redress in cases of abuse and harassment, including by coaches.
It would also be critical to broaden opportunities for girls' physical exercise in educational environments. In many instances, a lifelong enjoyment of physical fitness, and a great and successful career in competitive sports starts with regular gym classes at an early age.

Challenges also remain that vary from country to country. These include the dilemma for women athletes who stay in sports beyond their 20s and 30s. I can cite one from my own country, Merlene Ottey of Jamaica who participated in the last Olympics in her 40s. There are also the competing demands and feelings of anxiety and guilt about whether to wed, to be a mother, about separation from the family and when to start training to return to the competitive level after childbirth.

Challenges too remain for the world of attitudes and image. Sometimes successful women athletes are portrayed in the press negatively through a homophobic lens. Opening the sports papers frequently means reading first and foremost about male athletes' achievements.

Finally, a challenge is to draw lessons from the values we have learned about women and sports through United Nations' initiatives.

One striking example where United Nations' initiatives to promote peace have included sports activities, is Kosovo. In this country before the conflict, most girls did not participate in any sport, prevented by local culture and traditions. By denying girls the benefits of sport they were also denied the benefits of self-development, self-esteem and a physically active and healthy lifestyle. Society de facto marginalized women from early childhood. Few girls dreamt of being in Government, in leadership positions, or saw themselves as advocates for democratic processes.

A staff member from my Office seconded to work in the Pristina Municipality, Kosovo, developed a programme called "Volunteer Community Work Youth Initiative - Youth for Youth" to empower youth (12 to 14 years) through community work. This included the restoration of sports facilities and promotion of sports as all sport facilities were destroyed during the conflict. Through the encouragement of sports by United Nations peacekeepers who assisted in rebuilding a tennis club and a soccer club for both girls and boys, youth from different ethnic backgrounds learned to play and rebuild together. It cut down on the high incidence of crime, drugs and drinking among largely unemployed youth. The Youth for Youth programme also helped girls in a traditional society to be more involved in community activities and less afraid to give their views on civic matters. There is hope that this example will spread to other United Nations missions.

Another striking example is the work of the organization, Basketball Without Borders where the national basketball associations of Turkey and Greece have got together to hold the second annual tournament in Istanbul to be held from 5 to 8 July. It is a summer camp for 12 to 14 year-olds designed to promote friendship and understanding through sport. In the past it has included youngsters from Bosnia Herzegovina, Croatia, Former Yugoslavia, Macedonia, Slovenia and Yugoslavia. The conclusion after the first round in 2001, was that "sports has an unparallelled ability to stimulate important discussions among people who might otherwise not be brought together …". It offers an opportunity to use the global popularity of basketball "to deliver messages to a diverse group of young people about the importance of tolerance, peace, education and the fight against drugs."
What we need to do is ensure that the United Nations, the private sector and individual countries, continue these types of initiatives and extend them to fully cover women and girls.

Priorities
Priorities must include greater emphasis on the importance of sports and particularly opportunities for women and girls to enter, be trained and compete equally with men and boys in any sport whatever.

Also important is to bring language into world international documents (declarations, norms and conventions) conveying the principle of gender equality in sports. Priority should be given to using existing conventions such as CEDAW, or existing Platforms, Plans and Programmes, such as Beijing, to monitor progress and routinely challenge Governments, civil society and the international community to address this aspect of discrimination against women.

Priority should also be given to creating a better world by striving to meet targets for equal treatment of girls and boys in health, education and poverty reduction, set by the United Nations' Millennium Declaration.

In closing, ladies and gentlemen, this World Conference provides us with the opportunity to address the many dimensions of women and sports and their intersections with the global agenda for peace, development, employment, health, education, discrimination and poverty-reduction. Past experience has shown that discrimination against women is complex and multidimensional.

This has been a privileged opportunity to challenge this Conference to take action to improve the situations of women and girls by addressing their basic right to equality and to healthy, physical and mental well-being through sports. Let past progress and new challenges and priorities, set our agenda for the future.

Thank you and I wish you a productive Conference and look forward to the outcome.