Online Reporter
Zimpapers Sports Hub
THE Region 5 International Women’s Day celebrations will take place at the Cricket Club in Gaborone, Botswana today, under the theme “Reviving Our Heritage; Empowering Our Women.”
This significant event aligns with Region 5’s strategic agenda, which prioritises gender mainstreaming as a key pillar of its development initiatives.
The programme kicks off at 7am and will feature a dynamic mix of activities, including aerobics sessions and traditional cultural games.
These are aimed at fostering unity, promoting healthy lifestyles, and celebrating the cultural heritage that shapes women’s empowerment.
The event will be attended by key stakeholders, including the ministries of sport, defence, and higher education, as well as representatives from the Industrial Court and Labour Court.
Other confirmed participants include the Ministry of Sports and Arts, Botswana National Sports Commission, Botswana National Olympic Committee, Regional Sports Confederations based in Botswana, and Botswana national sports federations.
A highlight of the event will be a keynote address by Stanley Mutoya, chief executive of the African Union Sports Council Region 5.
His speech will focus on the importance of empowering women through sports and cultural heritage, reinforcing the region’s commitment to gender equality and inclusion.
This celebration is not just about recognising women’s contributions – it is part of the broader agenda of inclusion, ensuring that women have equal opportunities in sports, leadership, and cultural preservation.
Region 5 continues to champion gender equity, and this event serves as a crucial platform to inspire action towards a more inclusive and empowered future.
The African Union Sport Council (AUSC) Region 5 is the sports arm of the African Union, which was once the Organisation of African Unity.
The main aim of the AUSC Region 5 is to use sports to achieve peace, integration and unity in Southern Africa.
They seek to use sport as a vehicle of encouraging people to develop and come together, irrespective of colour, economic status, political, class, or gender.
The African Union divided Africa into five regions due to the vastness of the continent for easy coordination of programmes and activities.
One of the mandates of the AUSC Region 5 is to encourage, coordinate and promote the development of all forms of sport in the Region.
‘The Walk for Life’ was introduced to promote ‘Sport for All’ and create an active citizenry that is more productive and healthier.
A healthy citizenry reduces the burden of the health budget by using sport as a preventative sector for an active Africa in line with provisions of the African Union Sports Policy Framework for Sustainable development in Africa.
The inaugural “Walk for Life” was hosted in Livingstone, Zambia on September 30, 2023.
“The Walk for Life” is meant to build on the National Walk for Life events to be hosted by all Region 5 Member Countries prior to the Regional event.
Members of the Region comprise of Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
