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New Delhi, March 1 (IANS) Recognising the contribution of women and girls, the theme for the International Women's Day (March 8) this year commemorates the "Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow".
Sports is one of the most powerful platforms for promoting gender equality and empowering women and girls. Since the turn of the 21st century, there has been a quiet revolution in Indian sport with women asserting their sporting credentials.
While there were 21 women in the 2000 Summer Olympics, 25 in 2004, 25 in 2008, 23 in 2012, it more than doubled to 54 in 2016. Tokyo Games had 57 women out of the 128 athletes.
But, is that enough for a country with a woman population of 669 million?
The Middle Eastern countries have also seen a significant focus on women sports. The goal of promoting women's participation in sports and physical exercise has been officially incorporated into Qatar National Vision 2030.
Saudi Vision 2030, unveiled on April 25, 2016 by the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, has seen female participation in sports up 150 per cent in Saudi Arabia. Arab women have succeeded in breaking into many sports that until recently were the preserve of men, including football. The Kingdom also launched its first women's football league.
"Football and cricket are the two biggest Sports in the world with the largest fan base, and if one wants to see real empowerment of women in sports, cricket and football is where it should be predominantly seen," said Kanthi D Suresh, the first Indian woman to head a Sports Channel.
The debate around women's cricket in India is often centered on the structures in place. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is the richest cricket body in the world and has accordingly empowered its associations. Therefore, money is not always the issue when it comes to investing in the women's game.
"A Global Women's T20 League on the lines of an IPL, hosted in a country that has its primary focus on woman sports is the need of the hour," said Kanthi, as the world gets ready to commemorate International Women's Day on March 8.
--IANS
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