The curtain came down on the inaugural Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) Gender Equity Seminar on Monday 31 October, with organiser and Chair of the OCA Gender Equity Committee Sheikha Hayat bint Abdulaziz Al Khalifa presenting a list of recommendations for Asian National Olympic Committees (NOCs) to evaluate and implement.

Sheikha Hayat, who is also a member of the ANOC Gender Equity Commission and an OCA Executive Board Member, said the recommendations were based on the feedback from delegates of the 42 NOCs who participated in the seminar.

We have focused on what you have said over the last two days and the end result is this list of recommendations. Hopefully at the next seminar – I don’t know when or where – we will get a tangible result, 

Sheikha Hayat noted.

We are all together in one boat, but I’m confident that soon, one day we will all reach our destination, 

Sheikha Hayat told delegates in her closing address.

The two-day seminar saw an expert group of panellists, including representatives from the IOC, United Nations, UNESCO, Red Cross and other private organisations, tackle the three following topics: women representation and participation; best practices to enhance gender equity; and grassroots strategies.

During a panel discussion, President of the Jordan Olympic Committee (JOC) and Chair of the ANOC Gender Equity Commission, HRH Prince Feisal Al Hussein, praised the OCA for the steps it has taken to grow women’s participation in sport. HRH Prince Feisal also suggested that NOCs should use upcoming major multi-sport events in Asia, including next year’s Asian Games in China, as an opportunity to train women to take over positions of leadership.

ANOC Secretary General Gunilla Lindberg and members of the ANOC Executive Council were present at the seminar and fully supportive of discussions and plans to enhance gender equality in the Asian sports movement.

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