The first ever CAF Women’s Football Symposium ended on a high note in Morocco with participants lauding the ground breaking two-day event as a big step towards the development of the women’s game.
The closure was preceded by presentations of the recommendations by the seven working groups consisting of Competitions, Technical, Marketing, Media, Governance, Development and Stakeholders.
CAF President Ahmad in his closing speech said that the various recommendations will be forwarded to the newly established CAF Women’s Football Department for review, and then to the CAF Executive Committee for implementation.
“What you have discussed during these two days, what you have proposed, what you have retained in the title of resolutions, will be the subject of a complete analysis by the new department of women’s football which has just been created.
“I declared that I was a happy and satisfied man. Happy with the success of this first initiative, satisfied because the results exceeded all our expectations.
“I said in my opening speech that if necessary, we will break all the taboos to help promote the women’s game in Africa. For our supreme duty is to be faithful to our promises and to the impressive resolutions taken here today.
“I tell you frankly: I will be this president who will have made every effort to achieve the objectives set.
“It is my duty to appeal to the governments of all our African states to embark on the path of close cooperation in the development of African Football.
“My great final wish is that women’s football on our continent becomes a tool at the service of economic, social and cultural life,” he said.
One of the participants, Meskerem Tadesse Goshime of Ethiopia said: “the symposium was a great chance for women’s football to get the recognition it has been waiting for. a gathering. eded support to take a step ahead”.
The closing session was attended by FIFA General Secretary Fatma Samoura and Liberia First Lady Clar Weah, who the CAF President conferred on her “Ambassador for Women’s Football”.
The two-day event under the theme ‘raising our game’ was aimed at stakeholders brainstorming ideas towards the development of women’s football on the continent. During the symposium, delegates were divided into seven groups. Mrs. Weah was placed in the ‘Place of Media & Communication in dynamizing women’s football.’
Mrs. Weah who was invited by CAF for the symposium said through additional effort from all stakeholders, women’s football in Africa can be pushed to the next level.
“I know the power of football because it made my husband get to where he is now and my children who are also playing football in the US are also benefiting from it. We need to get the women to know that football has so many advantages,” she said.
FIFA General Secretary Fatma Samoura thanked her for making time to attend the symposium which will bring about changes in women’s football in Africa. “Your presence here is a gift from heaven because we have never had a first lady attend such an event for a whole day,” Samoura said.
Liberia Football Association was represented by its 1st Vice President Musa Shannon, Secretary General Emmanuel Deah, CAF Women football Committee member Ciatta Bishop and a representative of female clubs, Doris M. Bedell.
Topics discussed during the symposium included how to expand the practice of women’s football, developing the technical formation of the trainers, referees & instructors, means of development of sponsorship for women’s football, competitions: realities and perspective, governance concept in women’s football and the role of women’s football in gender promotion and socialization.
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