"TIBU Africa" Association launched, on Friday in Casablanca, the third session of the National Forum for the Empowerment of Girls and Women Through Sports, in celebration of Moroccan Women's National Day (October 10) and International Girl Child Day (October 11).
This event, organized over two days, under the patronage of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and with the support of the Ministry of National Education, Preschool and Sports, and the National Initiative for Human Development, aims to establish sport as a lever for empowerment, socio-economic integration, and leadership for women and girls. On this occasion, the Founding President of the "TIBU Africa" Association, Mohamed Amine Zariat, affirmed in a statement to the Moroccan News Agency that this initiative constitutes a platform dedicated to promoting the empowerment of girls and women through sports, with a focus on their educational, social, and economic integration. He explained that this approach aims to strengthen the capacities of girls and women to enable them to access new opportunities in the fields of education, employment, and entrepreneurship, pointing out that the forum also constitutes a space for strategic thinking about ways to enhance women's participation in various areas of public life. Mr. Zariat stressed the need to empower girls and women with the competencies of the twenty-first century, ensuring their success and contribution to the comprehensive development of the country, stressing that "investing in girls is investing in the future of the nation." For her part, Bouchra Aarif, Regional Director of the Ministry of National Education, Preschool and Sports in Casablanca-Anfa, highlighted that this event embodies the integration between the educational system and innovative associative initiatives, adding that "integrating sport as a tool for learning and empowerment allows for the creation of bridges towards a more inclusive, open, and fair school for girls." She also highlighted the educational role of sport as a pedagogical lever that helps develop the multiple capacities of girls and gives them better prospects for social integration and future success. For her part, the Canadian Ambassador to Morocco, Isabelle Valois, praised the efforts made to advance the status of girls and their integration through sports, highlighting the importance of involving boys as well in order to build mixed and truly inclusive sports environments. She also praised the field initiatives aimed at enhancing the participation of girls in sports activities within their communities, stressing the importance of the social and educational dimension of these initiatives. In the same context, Armin Ebrshimovich, the official in charge of the Social and Human Sciences program at the UNESCO office in the Maghreb countries, affirmed that sport constitutes a fundamental right and a pivotal lever for integration for women and girls, highlighting that this commitment falls within the framework of UNESCO's keenness to mobilize various actors, from public institutions, the private sector, and civil society, to make sport a driver of equality and sustainable development. The opening ceremony of the forum was distinguished by the presence of the Australian Ambassador to Morocco, Damian Donavan, the Head of the UN Women's office in Morocco, Maryam Ouchen Nasser, and the Consul General of France in Casablanca, Aymeric Chauseville. This ceremony concluded with the signing of partnership agreements between the "TIBU Africa" organization and the Canadian embassy and the "Unique Ile" club (a fitness club for women). And with HIBAPRESS.
