The researcher Emília Fernandes, from the School of Economics and Management of the University of Minho, proposes a gender policy in national sports directorates, to allow greater visibility of women in decision-making positions. The teacher represents Portugal in the European project “Gesport +”, which aims to study and present by the end of 2020 guidelines to the European Commission on gender equality in sports governance. From July 9th UMinho receives a work week from “Gesport +”, an initiative that is supported by the Erasmus + program and also includes scientists from the United Kingdom, Italy, Turkey and Spain.
The project is in the data collection phase, from questionnaires to all sports federations of the five partner countries and interviews with women sitting in those sports organizations. “In Portugal, from the 56-sport federation websites at the end of 2018, only two had female leadership (muaythai kickboxing and archery), which is very little,” says Emília Fernandes. “In our country there is a certain invisibility of gender issues in sport, including the scant research produced on the subject and the reduced presence in the media of the narratives of the leaders, referees, coaches and other representatives,” he adds.
The UMinho researcher acknowledges that there are some predominantly male and others predominantly female sports, whose sectorization has continued over time. However, hierarchies and decision making tend towards masculinization in both cases, “including gymnastics and sports dance.” “There is also this propensity for masculinization in other partner countries, but the difference is in culture and law, which creates another balance, such as the code that seeks gender parity in the UK and the recent quota policy in Italy,” justifies Emilia Fernandes.
A goal of “Gesport +” is therefore to deepen the various realities, enhance learning among the five countries and promote good practices, as expected this week in Braga. In the Portuguese case, for example, there is some expectation in the future analysis of the leaders’ testimonies and experiences, to better understand the power structures and the governance and decision processes. This scientific project involves the universities of Minho, Zaragoza (Spain), Teramo (Italy), Leicester (United Kingdom) and Sakarya (Turkey), with a view to research and decision-making on equality policies in Europe.
+ Info: gesport.unizar.es, mifernandes@eeg.uminho.pt