Gender equality in sport occurs through education and training
Gender equality in sport and the problem of discrimination have been the most common topic in the last year at international forums dedicated to sport. That’s what research from the “Fair Play” Project team found. Most of the discussions are held online and with the participation of representatives of the ministries of sports. They indicate and comment on specific examples, published in the media in the last year, of gender-based violence in sportsduring competitions, in training halls, as well as events at school, in physical education classes. The latest topic of such discussion took place at the 17th Conference of Ministers of Sport this month in Antalya, Turkey, which outlined priorities – gender equality, sports as a means of inclusion, the role of sports in education, prevention and child developmen. Promoting gender equality in sport is done through education and training, through youth policies, through labor and social policies. It is absolutely necessary to provide equal opportunities for the development of men and women, to enforce fair and equal treatment of both sexes at all levels, and to value the work and achievements of everyone in sports with dignity. The Ministry of Youth and Sports in Bulgaria attributes great importance to the promotion and protection of human rights and, in this sense, the topic of equality between men and women is reflected in the policies and programs of the Ministry. As a positive practice in this direction, it is indicated that the National Sports Academy, where the future coaches, sports managers, judges and physical education teachers of Bulgaria are trained, accepts gender quotas in order to achieve a balance between the sexes and stimulate the active participation of women in sports at all levels, as the Bulgarian deputy minister from the MMC told the delegates at the forum. Therefore, part of the activities under the “Fair Play” project, planned to be carried out – training for journalists and distribution of a Handbook for sports organizations. Activities start at the end of this month and should be completed within a month. The activity envisages the training of 50+ journalists through workshops, as well as the distribution of the Handbook for sports organizations by organizing physical meetings (presentation plus discussion) in 6 main cities in the country: Sofia, Plovdiv, Varna, Burgas, Vidin and Ruse.