ILLUSTRATION: TALHA KHAN
ISLAMABAD: Female students from various institutions across the city participated in a session on Thursday on promoting women empowerment through sports. Commemorating Women’s History Month in the US, the event was organised by the American embassy at the National Library.
The ensuing discussion and demonstrations gave the participants a chance to experience boxing — a sport traditionally dominated by men. The participants experimented with a number of boxing techniques as they transitioned into self-defence techniques beyond the playing field.
Saba Ghouri, gender advisor at the embassy, underlined the significance of sports education along with academics. “Sports education is way to develop life skills. Not only do sports have the power to entertain and inspire, they teach us leadership, team building, self-confidence and discipline,” she said.
Academics are only one part of it - education must include both physical and mental activity and sports can add that physical and mental activity that engages the whole body, she pointed out.
Sometimes families and cultures do not support sports for girls and women ,thinking it is not for them.”Sports can empower for women. An empowered woman empowers her family, her community, her country and her world by setting achievable goals. education is an essential tool for empowering everyone, especially women and girls,” Ghouri added.
She shared how she overcame the odds and became empowered by sports. Born and raised in the US, Ghouri has participated in water sports like swimming, snorkeling and jet-skiing and she now works on women and girls’ empowerment issues for the US government.
Mellissa Koskunar from the US Embassy, said, “Sport is a topic dear to my heart because I have experienced it through a variety of sports and how empowering it can be. There is something about learning a sport and practicising, not only can you become proficient but also competitive. It makes you feel strong, alive and confident.”
Growing up in Alabama, she had many opportunities to take part in water sports. She learnt how to water-ski, sail boats and even went fishing for the blue marlin fish that weighs 70 kg, in the Gulf of Mexico. She also enjoyed participating in are snow-skiing, scuba diving, archery, golf and volleyball.
“One sport that I recently have become really fond of and it has given me confidence is boxing. While boxing is traditionally a sport dominated by men, there are now many competitive female boxers in the US. Women boxers are awesome to watch - when you see a woman box, it really underscores how powerful they can be,” she said.
She learnt to box from her husband James Kamal, who is a former boxing champion from Kenya. Kamal is well-versed in a range of martial arts. At the event, he demonstrated boxing techniques as he invited volunteers to try them out on stage. “The best defence you have is your brain. The body is the last resort. Avoid getting into trouble and only do these when you have no other option,” he told the audience at large.
Kamal was joined by other sports alumni, who assisted the participants in following the intense boxing routines, as they punched with their boxing gloves and focused on learning a new life skill.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 20th, 2015.
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