DIFA strongly supports and adopts the ‘Brighton Declaration’ on women and sport. On the 14th April 2012, at Catania, Sicily, Italy, the Deaf International Football Association (DIFA) joined along with 319 other organisations to be one of significant signatories to the ‘Brighton Declaration on Women and Sport’.
DIFA President, Mr Iakov Frenkel, Vice President, Mr Giovanni Convito, and Secretary General, Mr Lyndon Borrow, were the signatories to the Agreement to adopt the Brighton Declaration certificate, which was witnessed by their fellow board members. The media was also present. DIFA is the first deaf sports organisation to have accepted and been signatory to the IWG’s ‘Brighton Declaration’ and its principles. We urge and encourage our fellow deaf sports organisations to follow suit.
The vision of the IWG is to realise a sustainable sporting culture that enables and values the full involvement of women in every aspect of sport. Their mission is for the advancement and empowerment of women and sport globally.
As with most other sporting codes, historically, women have been under-represented as players, coaches, as officials, and in management. There are several local and international deaf football events that provide little to cater to the needs of deaf women in football. From the signing of the pledge to IWG, DIFA is seriously committed to the promotion of women in our sport and achieving gender equality. DIFA is actively planning an ongoing program for deaf women/girls which will include coaching clinics and leadership programs. Later this year DIFA is hoping to visit Africa and South America where we will be promoting the greater participation of deaf girls/women in our sport.
In addition to the initiatives mentioned, the DIFA board is seeking to appoint 2 deaf women with leadership skills to join the board and to represent the development of deaf women in football (For further information on these roles please contact DIFA Secretary General via email: info@difaworld.com).
DIFA welcomes the link that has been forged with the IWG, and we believe this will a valuable mutual resource for the empowering of women in sport.
IWG’s website with an article about DIFA’s signing the declaration (click on link to read) – “DIFA becomes the first deaf sports organisation to sign the Brighton Declaration on Women and Sport”
Information about the ‘Brighton Declaration’ and IWG – visit their website: www.iwg-gti.org/brighton-signatories/
See who’s who on the list of ‘Brighton Declaration’ signatories – click here.
DIFA on Facebook – click here.
Yours in football,
Lyndon Borrow Secretary General
