Youth Charter, a United Kingdom-based youth development organisation, is calling for a new partnership between Commonwealth countries and African governments to expand programmes that empower women and girls through sport, leadership and self-defence training.
The appeal was made to mark International Women’s Day, with the organisation urging policymakers to complement legal enforcement against gender-based violence with stronger community-based prevention initiatives.
The Youth Charter said participation in sport, particularly martial arts and self-defence disciplines, can help women and girls build confidence, resilience and leadership skills that improve their ability to navigate environments that may feel unsafe.
As part of the proposal, the organisation is advocating the delivery of one million hours of free self-defence, leadership and confidence training for women and girls across Africa and the wider Commonwealth through community sport networks and youth development programmes.
The initiative would be implemented through the Youth Charter’s Community Campus model, which integrates sport, culture, education and digital skills training to support youth empowerment and social development.
Gender-based violence remains a major challenge across many countries in the Commonwealth and among members of the African Union, affecting the safety, wellbeing and opportunities of women and girls.
Janice Argyle Thompson, co-founder and executive director of the Youth Charter, said martial arts training focuses on awareness, discipline and self-belief rather than violence.
The organisation said the proposal aligns with global and regional frameworks including United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5 on Gender Equality and youth development priorities under the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
Founded in 1993, the Youth Charter works with governments, universities and sports organisations to promote youth empowerment and community development through sport, culture and the arts.
