Female participation in sporting activities

Dubai

In 2015, UK-based Sports England launched the #ThisGirlCan campaign to encourage female participation in sporting activities. Gulf News spoke to Callum Stewart, a press officer at Sports England, to find out more about their unique campaign.

With relatively few social media campaigns that focus on women in sports, #ThisGirlCan campaign is a refreshing approach to a dilemma that many women face across the world.

Stewart explained the motivation behind the campaign: “Studies show that fewer women than men take part in sport. Reasons range from the fear of getting sweaty in front of people, believing that they’re not fit or good enough and not having the right equipment.”

According to him, the campaign’s message to women is that it doesn’t matter what size they are or what their level of ability is.

He said: “The point is that you are a woman and you are doing something. So whatever you do, and however you do it, remember... this girl can.”

With over 410,000 women and girls actively engaged in the campaign across several online platforms, the campaign uses social media to give women and girls the opportunity to talk about exercising experiences and feelings.

Stewart added: “But we don’t just listen, we also get involved in discussions and give encouragement when the fear of judgment threatens to put women off.”

So how can young women in the UAE get involved with this campaign? Stewart encourages women and girls from across the Gulf to join their social media community and show how they are overcoming their barriers to being active. Learn more about the campaign at thisgirlcan.co.uk.

— The writer is an intern with the Readers Desk at Gulf News.