'We still have a fight on our hands' Laureus academy members speak out on International Women's Da

It is one of the greatest teams in the history of women’s sport, a collection of living legends, coming together in strength to voice their support for International Women’s Day.

The women members of the Laureus World Sports Academy include Olympic and Paralympic gold medal winners, world champions and Grand Slam winners. 

But today, at a turbulent time in our life, they are focusing not simply on the playing fields, the pools or the sports halls, but are using their positions as respected and admired advocates to urge continuing support for women’s rights around the world.

Gender equality has been one of the main concerns for Laureus since its creation in 2000, and is a special focus now. It is one of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals which Laureus supports. 

Today’s message coming over loud and clear from the Laureus Academy Members is: ‘There is still much to do. There is still a fight on our hands to improve the life of girls and women around the world.’

The women members of the Laureus Academy include some of the greatest fighters for  gender equality. None more so than Kenya’s Tegla Loroupe and Morocco’s Nawal El Moutawakel, who both had to struggle against customs and traditions that were the norm in their countries and that were holding women back.

Distance runner Tegla has been honoured by the International Olympic Committee for her work for girls and young women. She says modestly: “What I have done is a small thing. This mission needs to carry on. There is much to do to make this a fairer world for all.”

Nawal launched Courir pour la Vie in Casablanca, a mass 10km event for 30,000 women, supported by Laureus. “It was my dream,” says Nawal. 

 

“Now, in every small remote town and city in Morocco and elsewhere, girls and women are enjoying full participation in physical activities and sport. This is fantastic and a growing sign of the positive change of gender empowerment in society today. But there is still so much more we can do.” 

Two of the most passionate contributions come from swimmers from different generations: Missy Franklin, the Laureus Academy’s youngest Olympian at 25, and Dawn Fraser, now 83, and as fervent with her views today as she was when she won three straight Olympic 100 metres gold medals in the 1950s and 60s.

In her Women’s Day message, Missy, who has just announced she is pregnant, says: “My hopes for the year centre around every young girl waking up and knowing that she has the opportunity to chase her dreams and fight for her goals every single day. I hope that we continue to do a better job highlighting incredible women role models, both on and off the field of competition, so young girls know that their worth doesn’t just amount to their achievement in sport, but the achievement and difference they make in the world.”

And Dawn adds: “I’ve been around long enough to see a world where once girls and young women had to fight for the most basic rights. Equality and fair treatment hasn’t been easy to achieve. In the western world, I think there is a danger that we see positive steps taking place here, which can make us ignore the fact that there are many countries which do not accept what we think is self-evident.

My hope for the year, and the future, is that we keep our eyes open and look behind the scenes and support our sisters in some difficult locations who still have a fight on their hands.” 

My hopes for the year centre around every young girl waking up and knowing that she has the opportunity to chase her dreams and fight for her goals every single day. I hope that we continue to do a better job highlighting incredible women role models, both on and off the field of competition, so young girls know that their worth doesn’t just amount to their achievement in sport, but their achievement and the difference they make in the world. I want every young girl to have someone to look up to, to aspire to, and to learn from, because we all get to where we are today by standing on the shoulders of those that have come before us.

Among my passions as a Laureus Academy Member is Special Olympics. This is a global movement which helps more than six million children and adults with intellectual disabilities.  Its Unified Sports Programme brings together those with and without a disability, to join together in sport. This is also boys and girls together, playing sport with each other, learning from each other. Gender issues do not come into it There is no inequality; no old-fashioned social conventions. If I have one wish for the future, it is that the world realizes that we all deserve to access and experience equal opportunities   We are stronger together.

I remember growing up and watching athletics when women were only allowed to run the 3,000 metres because we were considered too delicate to run 5,000.  And then in 1984 the marathon for women came on to the Olympic programme for the first time. In 2000 it was the pole vault. Also in 2000 in Sydney I was in the stadium the night Cathy Freeman won the 400 metres. I was transfixed with the flashing lights that moved around the stadium. I have never experienced anything quite like it. It was THE moment of the 2000 Games and another milestone for equality was passed. Elite sport can be a wonderful driver for gender equality around the world, but it does not always filter into other areas of life. We need to keep spreading the message.

As a proud member of Laureus Academy together with my fellow Academy Members I will try to keep championing women's rights across the globe. As our Patron President Mandela said sport has the power to change the world and I believe in that with all my heart.I'm very thankful to all the women who have paved the way for me so I could be given these opportunities and I will keep trying to pay it forward. 

One of the big things that has struck me while developing my business, Jennis, a training app that optimises your fitness and hormonal health through smarter training programmes, is the fact that only 4% of sport science studies are done exclusively on women, which means the majority of women are following fitness advice not designed for them. I am working with my team to challenge misinformation about women’s bodies, unlock taboos and put women’s health and wellbeing higher up the social and political agenda. I want to use my knowledge and position, working alongside like-minded women and organisations, to play my part in helping to close the gender data gap. 

The world of women has been revolutionizing for a long time, seeking equality through all its activities, we know that there is a lot of effort to be able to conquer our dreams, but we also know that with effort and passion NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE. I am very grateful to my sport for having given me the possibility of being able to fulfill my dreams, and in that way to be able to motivate many other women not to stop achieving their goals, no matter how difficult they are. I want to thank Laureus for giving me this space to express myself on this very significant date for WOMEN

I really hope kids get back to school soon. I think people are realizing how important sport and health has always been, and the world needs to be sensitive about family quality time. For me the family is the most important thing in my life and, if I have one wish for International Women’s Day, it is that we appreciate this and understand we have also to think of the next generation. In my sport of golf there have occasionally been issues about equal treatment for women, but on the whole it is a sport of honour and respect and I know we are moving in the right direction.

All my life, I have been committed to equality in society.  A few years ago, I launched Courir pour la Vie - the Casablanca Women’s Race, supported by Laureus. This project was a way for women in Morocco to express themselves by taking part in a mass 10km event of 30,000 participants. It was my dream. Now, in every small remote town and city in Morocco and elsewhere, girls and women are enjoying full participation in physical activities and sport. This is fantastic and a growing sign of the positive change of gender empowerment in society today. But there is still so much more we can do. Now, on this International Women’s Day, I’m happy to join people around the world who share this fundamental belief.

One of the most successful Laureus Sport for Good programmes in Germany is Kicking Girls, which works with socially disadvantaged girls, many from a migration background, and offers them the chance to play football in a safe environment. It’s sad but these girls would never visit a sports club on their own. They feel there are too many threats. They need this protection, then they have the chance to flourish. We can make as many important statements as we like about gender equality in the global context, but at the end of the day it comes down to what happens in sports halls and on pitches around the world. My hope for the future is that one day we will not need to do this. But I think that might be a long time happening.

I’ve been around long enough to see a world where once girls and young women had to fight for the most basic rights in so many countries.  Equality and fair treatment hasn’t been easy to achieve. It’s true things are better in some places. I was able to be elected as a member of the New South Wales parliament in Australia, but I know that is not something that could happen for a woman everywhere. In the western world, I think there is a danger that we see positive steps taking place here, which can make us ignore the fact that there are many, many countries which do not accept what we believe to be self-evident. My hope for the year, and the future, is that we keep our eyes open and look behind the scenes and support our sisters in some difficult locations who still have a fight on their hands. 

My hope for the year is for us to recognize that equal opportunities are key for growth, but so is encouragement. Let us continue to encourage young girls to aim high while making sure that they have the same rights that they deserve for their future. This has not always been the case in many parts of the world, and International Women’s Day is the right time to focus on issues like this. I know gender equality has been one of the main concerns for Laureus since its creation in 2000, and is a special focus now. This is something I passionately support. 

It has been one of the proudest things I have done to fight for women’s rights for so many years to change this and I was very honoured when the International Olympic Committee recognised my work for girls and young women in sport. But what I have done is a small thing, this mission needs to carry on. There is so much still to do, to make this a fairer world for all. We can change the world.

There were many problems in former East Germany, equality between man and women, my mom and dad, was not one of them! Equality for women was a given for me, I grew up celebrating the International Frauentag on March 8 since I can remember. All women had the day off, received flowers and lots of appreciation was shown. Woman also were equally paid, while sharing the right to work and duties at home with man. In 1983  I was naturally wearing pants in my Short Programme while portraying Mozart. Afterwards, to my utter surprise, the governing body of Figure Skating implemented the rule that women had to wear a skirt and called it later the Katarina Rule. It really feels petty, a banality, in comparison to many equality rights anyone, and in particular women today, in many countries, sports and in the work place, still have to fight for. They have my admiration, support and they deserve much recognition.