As part of our women’s history month celebrations we are shining a light on one of our incredible LeaderBoard Scotland (run in collaboration with sportscotland) candidates Fawzia Osman and her experience and journey with in the sector.
Getting Involved in the Sport Sector:
“I have been a Scout leader since 2016 where I founded the first scout group in Camden Town, London for black communities. Now I am in Edinburgh since 2021 and I am doing the same here, aiming to start my group in April and targeting black communities. We do loads of sport activities in scouts like water sports, for example, which isn’t popular within our black communities, and this is great for our kids and youth.”
Fawzia’s journey began with grassroots initiatives, where she recognised the importance of providing opportunities for underrepresented communities. Through her work with Scout groups, she has been actively engaging with ethnically diverse and integrating sports activities to broaden horizons and foster inclusivity.
Inspiring Inclusion in Scottish Sports:
“Empowering clubs and organisations with the right tools for inclusion policies, also with funding projects aimed towards minorities as well as continued developing individuals’ awareness.”
For Fawzia, inclusion starts with empowering sports clubs and organisations with the necessary resources and policies to embrace diversity. She emphasizes the importance of funding projects tailored towards minority groups and ongoing awareness initiatives to promote inclusivity at all levels of Scottish sports.
Improving Attitudes and Perceptions of Women’s Sport:
“Awareness around gender inequalities and stigma, celebrating women in sport, and loads of media coverage as well as investing in women’s sport financially.”
To combat negative stereotypes and attitudes towards women’s sports, Fawzia advocates for raising awareness about gender inequalities, celebrating female athletes, and increasing media coverage. Additionally, she highlights the significance of financial investments in women’s sports to further enhance its visibility and opportunities.
Addressing Barriers for Girls in Sport:
“We should make our sport culture more inclusive based on abilities, not gender or appearance, by regular awareness doses. We should recognize girls’ achievements and celebrate their success based on their abilities, not their gender, giving other girls in sport hope and positive role models they can look up to.”
Fawzia emphasises the importance of fostering an inclusive sport culture that celebrates girls’ achievements based on their abilities rather than perpetuating gender stereotypes. By promoting awareness and recognizing accomplishments, she believes in inspiring confidence and providing positive role models for girls in sports.
Success in Women’s Sport in Scotland:
“From my own point of view, I would like to see more women progressing in sport leader boards for clubs and sport organizations, where rules and regulations are written, as well as in sport media. In addition to that, I would see success in women’s sport if there were large funding opportunities available towards financing the rights of women and their inclusion in sports.”
For Fawzia, success in women’s sports in Scotland entails increased representation in leadership roles within clubs and organizations, alongside greater visibility in media coverage.
