Lack of e-mails hinder HeForShe campaign
Naledi Lemogang | Tuesday March 28, 2017 15:45
The event, meant to achieve gender equality in sport, saw Township Rollers and Gaborone United women’s teams clash, while the main attraction seeing Rollers and Platinum Stars (men) face each other. Despite a descent crowd at the National Stadium, Mothibi said most people did not have e-mail accounts, which hampers the campaign targeting 20,000 signatures in support of the campaign. She said for people to sign and support the campaign, they should have e-mails.
“From the look of the weekend forms and the online registration, I do not see us reaching our target. Hence we are now going to target other sporting activities and partner with some big events in the country to keep encouraging people to sign for HeForShe,” Mothibi told Mmegi Sport.
She said they are still trying to communicate with the United Nations to allow people to register without e-mails as some people in Botswana do not have e-mail accounts. She said they are still counting the number of people who registered over the weekend.
Meanwhile, men have been urged to support women in ensuring gender equality in sports.
Speaking at the event over the weekend at National Stadium, Vuyelwa Segokgo of Gender Affairs said women’s participation in sport can challenge gender stereotypes and breakdown entrenched discriminatory attitudes and behaviour therefore women are encouraged to highly participate in all sporting codes.
“HeForShe is a soliditary movement for gender equality developed by the United Nations to engage men as advocates and agents of change for promotion and achievements of gender equality and women’s rights,” Segokgo said.
He said through this movement men are called out in support for women to share the same vision of gender equality. Batswana have shown interest in the campaign, if the weekend numbers at the National Stadium are anything to go by.
The HeForShe campaign champion, Solly Reikeletseng told Mmegi Sport yesterday that he was happy with the turn out. He said the campaign did not end on Saturday, with plans to roll it out to villages.