Lahore, Pakistan, March 10, 2021: The Pakistan Olympic Association Women's Commission held an online meeting under its Chair Fatima Lakhani to mark International Women’s Day on March 8.
A press release sent by POA Secretary General Muhammad Khalid Mahmood stated the Women's Commission hailed female athletes, officials and leaders of sports associations and the Olympic Movement who, despite facing tough hurdles, continue to inspire and lead from the front.
The POA Secretary General said: “We are proud that women are contributing in every aspect of life including sport and the Olympic Movement.”
Mahmood also conveyed a message from POA President Lt. Gen (R) Syed Arif Hasan and thanked him for his complete support in the endeavour for gender equality and a safe environment in all sports.
During the online meeting, the Commission resolved to ensure a conducive environment particularly for female athletes and lauded efforts for safeguarding athletes from harassment and abuse. A recently conducted IOC Safe Sport Webinar was a testament to the commitment towards a harassment-free sport culture in Pakistan.
The Commission is also committed to address the grievances of athletes and coaches and fight any form of harassment, and said it would set up a pool of counsellors in all cities to address any issues of female athletes.
It was decided that provincial chapters of the POA Women's Commission would be set up to ensure the presence of counsellors during camps and competitions, and to conduct online courses for safeguarding officers.
The meeting was also attended by Tania Mallick, Elain Alam, Ada Jaffrey, Veena Salman Masud, POA Secretary General Mahmood, Syed Wasim Uddin Hashimi and Tariq Wahid Khan.
