Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam, April 14, 2025: Participants at the second OCA Gender Equity Seminar in Brunei were given first-hand knowledge and experience of issues facing women in sport and also best practices of National Olympic Committees on Monday.
Following the opening ceremony speeches and award ceremony, the first panel discussion took place involving three female sports leaders in Asia.
They were OCA Executive Board member Mikako Kotani of Japan, AFC women’s referee manager Pannipar Kammueng of Thailand and Farah Ann Abdul Hadi, Olympic gymnast and mental health ambassador from Malaysia.
The trio spoke about their work, the challenges and obstacles they faced on their journey and the advice they would provide to women and girls in the Olympic sports movement.
As well as questions from the moderator, Richard B. Stephenson, Founding Partner, True North, the influential panellists answered questions from the floor.
The morning session concluded with best practices on how to promote and lead gender equity from four National Olympic Committees – Kyrgyzstan, Iran, Jordan and Brunei Darussalam, the host NOC of the seminar having launched that day the Brunei Darussalam NOC’s first Women in Sport Strategic Plan.
The BDNOC produced a booklet with a welcome message from the President, HRH Prince Sufri Bolkiah, outlining the key moments in the formation of the strategy along with the vision, mission and role models in women’s sport in Brunei.
The mid-session of the first morning focused on a presentation of global trends in gender equity and female participation by the IOC’s Gender Equality and Inclusion Manager, Pedro Dias, including the recently finalised list of 351 events for the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.
