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Dead Sea Reports 4th World Conference on Women and Sport “Sport as a Vehicle for Social Change” 8 to 10 March 2008, Dead Sea, Jordan International Cooperation and Development Department Report Report TABLE OF CONTENT 1. Forewords .................................................................................................................5 1.1. Message from the President of the International Olympic Committee, Dr Jacques Rogge ..........5 1.2. Message from the Chairperson of the IOC Women and Sport Commission, Ms Anita DeFrantz .........................................................................................................................6 1.3. Message from the President of the National Olympic Committee of Jordan, HRH Prince Feisal Bin Al Hussein .................................................................................................7 2. Introduction ..............................................................................................................8 2.1. Introduction by the IOC Director of International Cooperation and Development, Mr T.A. Ganda Sithole ....................................................................................................................8 3. Programme of the Conference ...............................................................................9 4. Summaries ..............................................................................................................13 4.1. Opening Ceremony ......................................................................................................................13 4.2. Plenary Session 1 – Sport as a Vehicle for Social change ..........................................................14 4.3. Parallel Session A – Sports and Business: Targeting a Lager Female Participation ...................17 4.4. Parallel Session B – Sports Considerations in Sponsorship .......................................................19 4.5. Parallel Session C – Female Participation Benefi ts Sport ...........................................................20 4.6. Parallel Session D – Promoting Equality of Access at Community Level ....................................22 4.7. Interactive Plenary 2 – Meeting the Challenges of Millenium Development Goals: The Contribution of Women and Girls .........................................................................................23 4.8. Interactive Plenary 3 – Sport as a Training Ground for Leadership .............................................24 4.9. Parallel Session E – Retention, Involvement and the Dynamic of Sport .....................................26 4.10. Parallel Session F – Reaching Today’s Youth Through Sport ......................................................27 4.11. Parallel Session G – Overcoming Cultural and Other Barriers in Sport .......................................29 4.12. Parallel Session H – Sport and Health for Girls and Women .......................................................31 5. The Dead Sea Resolution ......................................................................................33 6. The Dead Sea Action Plan .....................................................................................34 7. List of participants .................................................................................................37 Annex CD-ROM with fi les of presentations and images ........................................................................ inside cover Report Report 1. Forewords 1.1. Message from the President of the International Olympic Committee, Dr Jacques Rogge Today, there is no doubt that women’s participation is essential for a healthy society in general, but for the future of sport in particular. Sport needs women and their participation, not only because they represent half of humanity, but also because they play an essential role in society and especially in passing on a love of sport to young people. Giving them greater responsibility within the sports movement and enabling them to practise physical activity ensures that the next generation will like and practise sport, thus ensuring a better world. For the IOC, encouraging this role is essential, even sacred. Such was the starting point for the 4th IOC World Conference on Women and Sport, that is, how to use sport as a tool for social change in the world, and the role that women and young girls can and must play in this respect. I should like to thank all those who ensured the success of this Conference - organised for the fi rst time in the Middle East: Their Majesties King Abdullah II and Queen Rania of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan for their patronage of the event, the Jordan National Olympic Committee and its President, HRH Prince Feisal Bin Al Hussein; the local authorities; the members of the IOC Women and Sport Commission and its Chairperson, Ms Anita L. DeFrantz; and the more than 600 participants from the fi ve continents. I was delighted with the adoption, at the end of this Conference, of a plan of action, which, without doubt, will guide the sports movement, so that women and young girls the world over feel fully associated with the universal movement for the promotion of women in and through sport. The IOC will spare no effort to facilitate the implementation of this Action Plan. Report 1.2. Message from the Chairperson of the IOC Women and Sport Commission, Ms Anita DeFrantz Sport is a mirror of society as well as an extraordinary tool for social change. Sport provides access to every part of society. More than ever, sport is a tremendous medium of communication and emancipation which can help build girls’ and women’s physical and psychological well being. With that enhanced personal awareness, women can take on new roles in society. By examining the notion of “sport is a vehicle for social change”, the 4th World Conference has focused attention on both the inequalities that exist in society and how those inequalities can be addressed. This fi nal report shows the progress made over the last four years. Further, that progress has been analysed and new opportunities to advance the cause of girls and women in and through sport have been discussed and defi ned. My sincere thanks and appreciation is offered to the Jordan National Olympic Committee and the local authorities for their close cooperation and support in hosting this conference. In addition, the 600 participants must be thanked for their collaboration and enthusiasm in working on the task. Finally, I wish to express my gratitude to my fellow members of the IOC Women and Sport Commission for their outstanding work and commitment. I am very pleased that for the fi rst time the Conference participants have adopted an action plan and they are committed to a strategy which focuses on action. Now it’s time for all of us to move on to complete the promise: A society in which women and men work together for sport. Report 1.3. Message from the President of the National Olympic Committee of Jordan, HRH Prince Feisal Bin Al Hussein Only a few months have passed but so much has happened on the world stage since the 4th IOC World Conference on Women and Sport at the Dead Sea, Jordan, in 2008. Many nations have slipped into deep recession and hundreds of millions across the planet are facing uncertain times for the fi rst time in their generation. History shows us that during economic hardship, equality and inclusiveness are values that come under attack. So the role of women in society becomes ever more relevant and important in 2009. In particular, those of us involved in the administration of sport have a great responsibility to ensure gender equity to act as a showcase throughout society. Therefore the outcomes and resolutions from this conference are even more apposite today. I urge all who are in a position to make a difference, to re-visit the plan of action from the conference so that together we can turn aspiration into action. I would like to thank their Majesties, King Abdullah II and Queen Rania for their patronage and active involvement. I am also grateful to President Rogge and the IOC for giving Jordan the opportunity to show how much this subject means to us. My thanks also go to all the speakers, facilitators and delegates that helped to make the event so successful. Finally, a successful conference of this magnitude requires a huge team effort. I would like to thank the Jordan Olympic Committee and each and every member of the local organisers who were, incidentally, largely directed and managed by a talented group of women. Good luck to you all in the months ahead. Report 2. Introduction 2.1. Introduction by the IOC Director of International Cooperation and Development, Mr T.A. Ganda Sithole IOC world conferences on women and sport have always been gatherings of people who are passionate about the role of women in society as seen through sport. Dead Sea, Jordan, a historic tourist Mecca set the stage for an intense three-day 4th World Conference on Women and Sport at which more than 600 participants examined issues as diverse as protection of girls, the media, training, management, leadership and perceptions. The seriousness of the issues could not have been more emphasized by the presence at the conference of His Majesty King Abdullah II himself, Her Royal Majesty, the President of the IOC, several members of the IOC, international organizations, UN agencies and leading NOC representatives. Four years earlier in Marrakech, Morocco, participants to the conference had for the fi rst time set a road map for promoting the women’s
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