{"id":2495,"date":"2017-11-28T14:35:29","date_gmt":"2017-11-28T14:35:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/glasprotivnasilstvo.org.mk\/?p=2495"},"modified":"2018-02-16T14:35:49","modified_gmt":"2018-02-16T13:35:49","slug":"28-11-2017-conference-gender-based-violence-against-women-in-sport","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/glasprotivnasilstvo.org.mk\/en\/28-11-2017-conference-gender-based-violence-against-women-in-sport\/","title":{"rendered":"28.11.2017: Conference “Gender based violence against women in sport”"},"content":{"rendered":"

On 28.11.2017 in hotel Park in Skopje, National Network to End Violence against Women and Domestic Violence, TAKT and Agency for Youth and Sport, with support of the American Embassy, organized conference on the topic \u201cGender based violence against women in sport\u201d. Agenda for the event is available here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Speakers at the conference were: Goran Nikovski \u2013 professor at the Faculty of Physical Education, Sport and Heath, Silvija Mitevska \u2013 paraglider and President of TAKT, Drita Islami \u2013 athletics, Mileva Velkova \u2013 former handball player, Irena Andreevska \u2013 sports journalist.<\/p>\n

The discussion focused on the existence of violence and discrimination in sport, the manners of dealing with these phenomena, the need to tackle this problem and raise awareness of the population for timely recognition and prevention of violence against girls and women in sports. Main conclusions were that education of youth is needed in order to recognize violence and to know the ways to react if subjected to any form of violence.<\/p>\n

It is also necessary to establish mechanisms that will specifically serve to help and support women and girls in sports who are victims of any type of violence, with examples from several countries such as Croatia, Hungary, Germany, etc. Examples of good practices from other countries are: existence of persons of trust to whom victims of violence can turn for help, established mechanism for reporting cases of violence, developed manual for the relationship between coaches and women athletes etc.<\/p>\n

“Gender based violence in sport is a sensitive topic that has not been discussed in our society. One of the main risks is the uneven distribution of power between the sports worker and the woman athlete. In Macedonia there is a need for education of young athletes in order to recognize the first symptoms of violence in sports, how to act in those critical moments and where to turn for help. This conference aims to draw out the main conclusions and recommendations on preventing and eliminating gender based violence against women in sports.” – Silvija Mitevska, President of TAKT.<\/p>\n

Elena Dimushevska, Executive Director of National Network to End Violence against Women and Domestic Violence: \u201cWomen athletes are exposed to various forms of violence that are neither discussed nor recognized in our country, nor a system for victim protection has been established. Through its activities within the 16 Days campaign to end violence against women, the National Network aims to raise these issues and remind the relevant institutions that they have the responsibility to take all the necessary steps to ensure women to be safe and have an active life.<\/p>\n

Conference on this topic was organized for the first time in our country as one starting point for raising awareness about gender based violence against women and girls in sports and initiating further discussion and reaction to improve the situation in Macedonia.<\/p>\n