UK Sport has today announced that it will renew its partnership with the International Netball Federation (INF) to help develop the sport of Netball within Africa, increasing the number of girls and women participating from grass roots to elite levels and to raise awareness of cross cutting themes such as safeguarding and child protection that impacts directly on members.
Working in partnership, UK Sport and the INF have high ambitions to continue to develop Netball across the globe by increasing influencing opportunities and participation programmes whilst also empowering women and girls in an achievable and sustainable manner.
The newly announced four year partnership will support the role of the Africa Regional Development Manager (RDM) to increase awareness, advocate and promote Netball across the region, complimenting and/or supporting a number of UK Sport partnership programmes delivered in the region.
UK Sport is committed to contributing to the growth of sport worldwide through fostering international partnerships and supporting quality of, equity within, and access to, community sport. There is no doubt that, as the most popular team sport for women, Netball can play a vital role in raising awareness around women’s empowerment and as well as other issues such as health, social skills and leadership.
The support will offer an additional voice for the INF both regionally and internationally as well as advocating the work of UK Sport through similar mechanisms in areas of policy influence, sport development, sport for development and legacy.
Discussing the partnership, Debbie Lye, Director of International Development and International Inspiration at UK Sport, said:
“UK Sport’s partnership with the International Netball Federation has been phenomenally successful over the past 5 years. The increase in African affiliation to INF membership from 13 to 17, the hugely popular netball safaris that take the sport into the community and the championing of women’s empowerment in the region have been fantastic achievements and one we are proud to have supported. We look forward to still greater strides for a great sport in the next 4 years.”
INF President, The Hon Molly Rhone, OJ, CD said:
"We are truly delighted to continue this Partnership for a further four years. We all recognise the netball potential in Africa and whilst we have made tremendous progress, there is still so much more that we can achieve.
“This continued support will help realise our ambition to grow netball across the globe, by increasing opportunities and partnership programmes - empowering women and girls in a realistic and sustainable way. We really look forward to seeing netball in Africa reach further heights.”