Kenyan women athletes demand equal treatment
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National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) president Paul Tergat (pictured) acknowledges that women athletes bring home the medals—but behind the glory lies a struggle that demands urgent solutions.
Women have been at the forefront of Kenya’s sporting success in recent years. At the Paris Olympic Games in 2024, seven of Kenya’s 11 medals were won by women.
Additionally, at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, all three gold medals—secured by Faith Kipyegon (two) and Mary Moraa—came from female athletes.
Speaking during the Gender Conference themed “To Disrupt and Redefine the Gender Narrative,’ held in Nairobi, the NOC-K boss noted the challenges that Kenya’s female athletes encounter are immense. That the athletes bring in more medals than ever before “yet behind the scenes they endure so much”.
He added, “Gender-based violence is unacceptable. As men, we must support our sisters in driving this cause for better performance and a stronger sporting community.”
Similarly, a common theme among keynote speakers was the urgent need for tangible action in addressing gender parity, including the formulation of policies ensuring fair treatment of athletes in remuneration, awards, training as well as protection from gender-based violence.
Former Kenyatta University (KU) Vice Chancellor, Professor Olive Mugenda, urged the government, sports federations, and stakeholders to champion a robust policy framework as a catalyst for gender equity in the sporting sector.
“Gender narratives in sports are shaped by societal and cultural constructs of masculinity and femininity. These narratives influence women’s participation in sports and the media coverage they receive. The challenge for NOC-K and other stakeholders is to create policies that specifically address gender-based violence, ensuring the protection of women in sports. We also need clear policies on conduct within the sporting community, athlete compensation, and increased visibility of women’s contributions,” Mugenda emphasised.