WOMEN’S DAY: Thank You! We must do more for you

The success of the Olympic steeplechase champion Peruth Chemutai, middle distance runner Halima Nakaayi, netball ace Peace Proscovia, badminton star Fadila Shamika and several female sports teams represents what women can do.

The success of these Ugandan female athletes on the global stage—whether it is in track and field, basketball, rugby, volleyball, badminton or football et all, shows that sports can be a powerful tool when it comes to breaking barriers and empowering women.

Female sportspersons are setting into motion a virtuous cycle of development and can no longer be treated as extras. You are cehterpieces. 

At the outset, girls in many places in Uganda don’t get the same kind of opportunities to attend and finish primary and secondary school, which usually provides a child’s first introduction to physical education.

As they enter adolescence, they are often confronted with the lack of women-friendly education and sports facilities and equipment, such as girls-only latrines and sanitary products, which discourage them even further.

Luckily, with every stride of women sports personalities excelling on the global stage, misconceptions of girl's participation in sports are fading.

Many resilient sportswomen are defying these challenges, proving that they can achieve great success on and off the field, and that in fact, the two can go hand in hand.

Nigeria’s soccer phenom Eniola Aluko once said, “Sport gives you real life lessons that make you bulletproof.” An Olympian and member of Chelsea’s women’s soccer team, she is also an accomplished lawyer.

We thank all our gallant sportswomen and make a commitment as Nation Media Group to highlight your successes, challenges and the issues that matter to you.

Happy Women’s Day!