“The 7th World Conference on Women and Sport” was held in Gaborone, the capital of Botswana from May 17 -20 of 2018.
926 people from 81 countries and regions attended the 7th Conference, and the following six themes were discussed.
①LIVE WELL, PLAY WELL
②A SAFE PLACE: Protecting Women in Sport
③TELL YOUR STORIES: Utilize Media to Transmit Information on Women’s Sport
④WELCOME AND EMPOWER ALL PEOPLE THROUGH SPORTS
⑤SPORTS WITHOUT BORDERS: Cross-Cultural Collaboration
⑥LET WOMEN TAKE THE LEAD: Changing the Leadership Landscape in Sports
Also, Dr. Daichi Suzuki, who is the commissioner of the Japan Sports Agency and became the first Japanese government official to attend the conference, gave a speech to explain the current situation, challenges, and actions on women's sports in Japan. Moreover, discussions held by successive co-chairs revealed that Japan's action towards "Tokyo 2020" is drawing attention from all over the world.
“IWG Botswana Big 5” was adopted as the legacy of the 7th Conference. It comprises five pillars which are Media, Accountability, Representation, Research to Practice, and Communication, and it declared the necessity for concrete actions and close monitoring to build a gender-equal sports culture.
*“Big 5” means “Top 5 awing animals that are difficult even for hunters to capture”. In Africa, “Big 5" varies depending on the area, but in Botswana, it refers to “lion, elephant, rhino, leopard, and buffalo”. The five words on the resolution are expressed using the “Big 5” animals referring to the characteristic of the animals.