AWARENESS From AWARENESS EDUCATION through EDUCATION PARTICIPATION to PARTICIPATION Polona Cehovin Susin ITTF Departments Program Manager ITTF Development Workshop – Moscow, 27 May 2010

2004: ITTF launches courses targeting women 2009: 1 st Female Executive Director 2007: 2 Female in the Executive Committee Milestones in Womens Development within ITTF 2006: Equal Prize Money on ITTF Events 2004: 2 nd ITTF Womens Forum - Qatar 2007: ITTF 1 st Fashion Contest - China 2005: 3 rd ITTF Womens Forum - Shanghai 2005: Constitution Change - 25% of elected Comm. Mem. should be Female 2005: By the initiative of ITTF the AISTS Seminar is born 2007: 1 st Course Conductors Training focusing female experts 2009: 1605/4286 (37,4%) Participants in DP Activities were Women 2003: 1 st ITTF Womens Forum during the WC in Paris (FRA): Formation of the WWG 1 st Female VP Elected 2005: 1 st ever representative for IFs co-opted to IWG is from ITTF

NATIONAL LEVEL INTERMEDIATE LEVEL EXECUTIVE LEVEL (operations) 1/9 Executive Vice-President 0/6 Continental Presidents (DCC) 1/32 BOD members 3/13 Chairpersons of Committees, Commissions, WGs 32/154 Members of Committees, Commissions, WGs 10/23 Female Employees 15% of Blue Badge International Umpires, 10% of International Referees, less than 5% of NAs Presidents In Moscow: 25% less of women teams (83 vs. 111) HUMAN (female) RESOURCES

Fact nr. 1: WOMEN and MEN are DIFFERENT Bizarre Mood Area Shopping Lobe TV, Movies & Soap Perception Hairstyling & Clothes Co-ordination Logical Argument Neuron Gossip Lobe Chocolate Neurotransmitters Maternity, Weddings & Flowers Fantasy & Emotional Blackmail System The FEMALE BRAINThe MALE BRAIN Power Tools Lobe Guy Talk Sport Commitment Neuron Women (but not his Wife!) Center for Covering the Toilet Pub and Wine Bar Homing System Food Center Computer Operating Exploring and Action Job Stuff

Fact nr. 2: There is SCIENTIFIC PROOF for that 1. Human relationships. Women tend to communicate more effectively than men 2. Left brain vs. both hemispheres. Men tend to process better the left hemisphere of the brain 3. Mathematical abilities. An area of the brain called the inferior-parietal lobule (IPL) is typically significantly larger in men 4. Reaction to stress. Men tend to have a "fight or flight" response while women seem to approach with a tend and befriend strategy 5. Language. Two sections of the brain responsible for language were found to be larger in women than in men 6. Emotions. Women typically have a larger deep limbic system than men 7. Brain size. Typically, mens brains are 11-12% bigger than womens but this size difference has absolutely nothing to do with intelligence 8. Pain. Men and women perceive pain differently - women perceive pain more intensely than do men. 9. Spatial ability. Men typically have stronger spatial abilities 10. Susceptibility to disorders. Because of the different use of the two hemispheres there are some disorders that men and women are susceptible to in different ways Experts have discovered that there are actually differences in the way womens and mens brains are structured and in the way they react to events and stimuli.

Aspects of GENDER EQUITY MEDICAL Sport is healthy Prevention and therapy SOCIAL Limits modern diseases: cigarettes, drugs, alcohol, early pregnancy, HIV/AIDS More opportunities for Education SOCIOLOGICAL Impact on Behaviour: teamwork, tolerance, adaptability HUMAN Human Rights Self-respect PSYCHOLOGICAL Self-esteem, pride Goal-setting, excellence in performance and other achievement-oriented behaviours ECONOMIC Sport is Business! Data collected from Womens Sport Foundations Surveys What do WE ALL (and/or men?) gain? Dynamic EnvironmentMore FocusFairplayInclusivenessWider Picture WE ARE ONE! A constructive, dynamic and success-oriented society

2009 ACTIVITIES REPORT 1.Women Coaching Courses: Africa: Liberia (Mar); L1 Asia: Iraq (Mar/Apr); L1-PTT Asia: India (Nov); PTT Latin America: Costa Rica (Nov); L1-PTT + Forum Latin America: Paraguay (Sep); PTT + Forum 2.Women Training Camps: Asia: India (Nov) Europe: Austria (Apr); 2012/2016 Olympic Selection Europe: China (Aug); 2012/2016 Olympic Selection 3.Umpires Course: North America: Canada (Aug); Referees Course-Basic Certified Referee

2009 ACTIVITIES REPORT 4.WWG Activities: ITTF Womens Forum at the WTTC in Yokohama (May) Meeting with players at the Womens World Cup in Guangzhou (Sep) WWG Meetings in Yokohama (May) and Gauteng (Nov) 5.Other Activities: Allocation of 2/3 ITTF Scholarships for young journalists were granted to women Fashion Show at the 2009 WJTTC in Cartagena (Dec) Friendship Trophy on the International Womens Day: 6 continents – 16 Countries (Paraguay, Venezuela, Chile, Bolivia, Argentina, US, RSA, Congo Kinshasa, Malaysia, Japan, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, Switzerland) ETTU WWG Meeting in Stuttgart during the EC (Sep)

Womens Working Group Hajera KAJEE Chairperson (RSA) Christina CHEE SHIN LIAN Deputy (MAL) Alejandra GABAGLIO (ARG) Beatrice ROMANESCU (ROU/ETTU) Mireille TALLON (CAN(NATTU) Sachiko YOKOTA (JAP/ATTU) Shereen EL-ALFY (EGY/ATTF) Cherifa BELHARETH (TUN/ATTF) Norma JARA (PAR/LATTU) Anolyn LULU (VAN/OTTF) Members:

Women in decision-making bodies Women technical officials Women players Women coaches Women conductors Education and mentoring for women Equal opportunities Careers of women players after their playing days Awareness and image of Women Table Tennis Communication TARGET GROUPS & KEY AREAS OF INTEREST

Move from AWARENESS to IMPLEMENTATION of projects – focussing on courses and education 1.Create project / programs, including budget planning 2.Increase male participation in the execution of the programme 3.Increase the percentage of women in executive positions 4.Increase the number of women technical officials and coaches All levels plus Scholarships offered to women to go on an identified course 5.Increase awareness of women in table tennis Website, promo videos, annual award, slogan 6.Support and mentoring Players life-skills programs, scholarships for studies, mentoring process 7.HIV/AIDS awareness To be incorporated into the ITTF programme/activities FUTURE STRATEGY

PLANNING Audit of present situation FIRST ACTIONS: Identification of multi-skilled presentors/experts The focus is on comprehensive Courses enriched with Forums IMPLEMENTATION Concept of targeting different areas such as coach education, URC, administration etc. Assistance on national level Continents to be encouraged to support and integrate womens issues into their working portfolio, also by co-opting WWG representatives into EB MONITORING & REPORTING Monitoring and Annual Progress Report on the yearly achievements using a reporting template GREATER F FF FOCUS ON WOMENS PROGRAM TOOLS & RECOMMENDATIONS

WORKING PLAN FOR Women (Coaching) Courses in Combination with Mini-Forums: AFRICA: Tunisia – January (completed) OCEANIA: Guam – May (completed) AFRICA: South Africa - June/July ASIA: Qatar – September/TBC LATIN AMERICA: Uruguay – TBC EUROPE: Womens Coaching Seminar/TBC 2.WWG Meetings: Moscow, May Kuala Lumpur, September – TBC 3.Other: European Womens Forum – TBA (during the EC in Sep): 2010 – The Year of Education

SO, WHAT COMES NEXT?

NEED INSPIRATION, A ROLE MODEL?

and remember: Fred Astaire was brilliant but Ginger Rogers did just the same - but backwards and in high heels! Polona Cehovin Susin Thank You for Your Attention