International Women’s 2017 Day – Be Bold For Change
A message from The Hon. Molly Rhone OJ, CD, INF President
The theme for International Women’s Day 2017, is ‘Be Bold for Change’.
We all know that a world with equal opportunities, where women and girls are free to fulfil their potential, is a world that benefits everyone – but the journey towards parity is slow.
The UN wants to achieve gender equality by 2030, and that is what the world’s leaders signed up to when they adopted the Sustainable Development Goals in 2015. Yet the World Economic Forum predicts that the Gender Gap won’t close until 2186
It’s time for action – to challenge bias and inequality, campaign against violence, forge women’s advancement, celebrate women’s achievement, and champion women’s education. There are goals that the International Netball Federation, as world governing body of a predominantly women’s sport, endorse and fully support.
Netball is widely recognised around the world for providing a safe environment for women and girls to meet outside of the family. It provides opportunities to learn about the benefits of sport, health and fitness, and to develop leadership, organisational skills, teamwork, and build confidence.
Indeed, one of the INF’s proudest achievements has been our support for Goal, a scheme in deprived urban area and slums in India, which is changing the lives of thousands of girls and young women. The skills they are learning – including basic financial skills and the provision of micro-loans, is changing their lives, the lives of their families and communities and benefitting wider society as a whole – exactly what the UN has set out to achieve.
Netballers are strong, caring and instinctively help each other. We are very well placed to Be Bold For Change – so let’s make this a year to celebrate our achievements, showcase women, expand our participation and do everything in our power to close that Gender Gap.
#BeBoldForChange
