Social restrictions restrict women's sports in Iraq

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[size=52]Social restrictions restrict women's sports in Iraq[/size]

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10-22-2023
Sarah Khaled (28 years old) from Babil Governorate, a graduate of the College of Physical Education for Girls, works in a job that is completely different from her dreams and university studies, due to many obstacles that have obstructed her path in light of social challenges.[/size]
[size=45]Khaled says, “Since I was young, I have loved playing sports despite my family’s weak support for my approach, and their refusal to allow me to enter the College of Physical Education, due to prevailing social norms and the viewpoint that rejects women’s practice of sports.”[/size]
[size=45]Sarah, who practices sports at home because there is no sports center for women near her home, adds that “the demand for women’s sports is low as a result of social restrictions, so job opportunities in this field are scarce, which forced her to work as an administrator in a private company.”[/size]
[size=45]Abstention from sports[/size]
[size=45]Iraqi women's sports face many challenges, most notably those related to the nature of society and conservative social norms and traditions, in addition to the lack of a safe environment for practicing sports, and the distance of clubs and gyms, or perhaps their non-availability at all, which has led to the reluctance of many women to practice sports and participate in a full way. Effective in international tournaments.[/size]
[size=45]In this context, the Executive Director of the Iraqi Women’s Network, Amal Kabbashi, says, “Societal awareness is still immature regarding the role of women and the importance of practicing sports as a human right, and the clubs, especially the popular ones, have not paid attention to women’s sports, contrary to what is observed from Interest in regional countries by providing a safe environment for them and encouraging them to practice sports.”[/size]
[size=45]During her talk to Shafaq News Agency, Kabashi attributes women’s reluctance to participate in sports competitions, or practice sports activity in general, to the fact that “the environment is unsafe, as there are many cases of harassment, sexual exploitation, and other harassments that deter women from sports.”[/size]
[size=45]She added, “Also, there are few clubs and gyms for women, and they are often far from their areas of residence, which reduces their opportunities to practice sports.”[/size]
[size=45]She continues, “Although there are colleges specialized in women’s sports that have opened many doors for women, they remain merely colleges that graduate women for the purpose of employment in schools and elsewhere. There are also women members in sports clubs and federations, but they are still far from being interested in women’s sports.”[/size]
[size=45]She asserts, “The Ministry of Youth and Sports must pay special attention to women’s sports, especially since the International Federation of Association Football supports women’s teams, motivates countries, and allocates large sums to revitalize them, which requires work to invest them and open new horizons for women to practice sports.”[/size]
[size=45]Regarding women’s sports in the Kurdistan Region, Kabashi says, “The region provides a political and social environment that supports women’s sports, in addition to providing clubs and gyms for them. This gives women an opportunity to practice different sports and participate in international forums.”[/size]
[size=45]Female players achieve achievements[/size]
[size=45]For his part, the spokesman for the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Hossam Hassan, confirms that “women’s sports have an important place in the interests of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, and there are many distinguished players who have achieved many achievements in women’s sports, whether in basketball, weightlifting, boxing, volleyball, track and field, and taekwondo.” Handball, bow and arrow, archery, etc.[/size]
[size=45]Hassan adds, “There is also great interest in the sport of horse riding and various races for women, and we hope that women’s swimming will regain its glory after teams participated in many tournaments.”[/size]
[size=45]He points out that “school sports have a major role in creating the athlete’s personality from an early age, as is the case for popular teams in football competitions and other games. Therefore, there is coordination between the Ministries of Youth, Sports, and Education to revive and revitalize the physical education lesson.”[/size]
[size=45]He asserts, “The Ministry of Youth and Sports is serious about supporting all these games, paying attention to the players, and providing everything that will develop these games and achieve achievement in them, in the service of Iraqi women’s sports.”[/size]
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