The Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women in Sport and Physical Activity (CAAWS) announced on Monday, February 24th that it will now be referred to as Canadian Women & Sport, and also revealed a new logo. The organization strives for the equity of women in society by empowering women and girls through sport.
Only 24% of Canadian women participate in sport as compared to 45% of men
(Sport Participation in Canada, 2013)
Founded in 1981, Canadian Women & Sport partners with government agencies and other sport organizations throughout the country to offer resources, tools, and opportunities for women and girls to get, and stay involved in sports. The focus of Canadian Women & Sport is to educate and promote the inclusion of women in sport by building and mobilizing knowledge, changing attitudes, and providing leadership. A three million dollar investment was given to CAAWS in 2019 by the Canadian government to increase gender equality of sport in communities across Canada.
Sport has historically been viewed as a male dominated pastime with little representation of women, especially of lower classes. The population of women involved in sport is growing, but in male dominated fields there are still many inconsistencies. The pay gap between the men’s and women’s US soccer teams would be an example of how deep this issue runs. We are making strides, however, in inclusion (Pfister & Hartmann-Tews, 2005). Women are now included in a variety of Olympic sports including hockey, weightlifting, and soccer.
Canadian Women & Sport strives for the equal representation and empowerment of women within sport associations. Gender inequality in the sport context stems from our perceptions of gender inequality in our global society. It must be noted that the social and cultural environment play an important role in the power and participation imbalances of gender in sport (Pfister & Hartmann-Tews, 2005). Through sport, Canadian Women & Sport aims to change societal views of the female gender in all areas of society.
emmakmacdonald
