On 21 October, TAFISA hosted a webinar on “Shifting the Narrative: Data-Driven Approaches to Girls’ Sports Participation“. This webinar, the ninth in the Mission 2030 Series cycle, attracted attendees with over 500 registrations and features participations from researchers, professionals and experts in the field. The discussions explored the data available around girls’ participation in sport, the need to listen and engage girls in decision making, design initiatives with and for girls and also ensure that data collected should cover girls in all their diversity.
The invited speakers engaged with the topic, guided by moderator Dr. Nana Nana Adom Aboagye, Independent Research Consultant who ensured the discussion has a good flow and structure. Dr Lombé Mwambwa, CEO – Global Observatory for Gender Equality & Sport
(GO) opened the webinar with a presentation highlighting the diversity of girls and women, the work and key stakeholders of the GO, the different data currently available and data that are still needed such as; budget/investment going into physical activity and if these investments reaches girls, community facilities available for engagement in physical activity and usage tracking of participation of women and girls. Dr. Mwambwa ended her presentation with a call to action that girls need to be constantly engaged, data should be utilized when designing interventions with and for girls and lastly, we need to connect girls across spheres.
You can watch the recorded webinar below or on YouTube
The panel discussions featured valuable insights from Dillon Richardson from World Flying Disc Federation, Aoife Lane from Technological University of the Shannon, Prof (PhD) Rosa López de D’Amico from International Society for Comparative Physical Education and Sport (ISCPES), and Rosa Diketmueller from International Association of Physical Education and Sport for Girls and Women (IAPESGW). The discussion highlighted the need for systematic data on how girls are involved in sports and the necessity of ensuring that available data encompasses the diversity of women and girls.
Dr Aya Noguchi from Azitama presented a case study sharing her work in Japan and Southeast Asia around data collection. Dr. Noguchi emphasized the need and relevance of objective data and the ripple effect data availability brings, such as, visibility, which transforms perceptions into accountability, and that data should not just be about numbers but interpreted with cultural sensitivities and lived realities.
Webinar Speakers:
– Dr. Nana Adom Aboagye | Independent Research Consultant, nana.researchctn@gmail.com (LinkedIn)
– Dr Lombé Mwambwa | CEO – Global Observatory for Gender Equality & Sport
(GO)
– Dillon Richardson | Director of Membership and Development – World Flying Disc Federation, dillon.richardson@wfdf.sport, (LinkedIn)
– Aoife Lane | Head of Department of Sport and Health Sciences – Technological University of the Shannon, aoife.lane@tus.ie, (LinkedIn)
– Prof (PhD) Rosa López de D’Amico | President – International Society for Comparative Physical Education and Sport (ISCPES), rlopezdedamico@yahoo.com
– Rosa Diketmueller | President – Int. Ass. of Physical Education and Sport for Girls and Women (IAPESGW), rosa.diketmueller@univie.ac.at
– Dr Aya Noguchi | Director – Azitama, aya.noguchi@azitama.jp, (LinkedIn)
Useful Links:
Save the date of our next webinar, “Engaging Youth in Sport for All: Bridging the gap, Building the Future”, on the 10 of December, 2025. We look forward to another enlightening and enthusiastic conversation. Register here…
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