Barrister Sarwat Siraj Shukla, President of the Bangladesh Women Sports Association (BWSA), will represent Bangladesh at the IWG Global Summit on Women and Sport 2026 in Birmingham, UK. The three-day conference, starting tomorrow, is the world's largest international conference on gender equality and women's empowerment in sports. Over 1,200 international delegates, including sports organizers, policymakers, and athletes, are participating.
Key Roles and Responsibilities
Barrister Sarwat, who is also the Vice President of the Bangladesh Olympic Association and the newly-appointed Chairman of the Gender Equity Committee, holds a significant position as the Director of Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protishtan, the country's only government sports education institution.
Government Initiatives and Committees
Recently, a high-level government committee was formed by the Ministry of Youth and Sports to ensure overall protection, equality, and rights of women in sports. Barrister Sarwat has been appointed as one of the important members of this committee.
Significance of the Summit
Experts consider her visit to be very significant in the context of the ongoing 'Notun Kuri Sports' initiative of the government nationwide to encourage children and adolescents in the country to participate in sports. Additionally, the formation of a joint 'Sports Diplomacy' wing of the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs underscores the importance of her participation.
Statements and Expectations
Ahead of her trip to the UK, Barrister Sarwat said: 'The participation and success of women in sports in Bangladesh is now being appreciated worldwide. In addition to highlighting our achievements on this global platform of IWG, we want to apply modern strategies for women's leadership and legal protection in the world of sports in the context of Bangladesh.'
Conference Activities
During the three-day conference, she will participate in networking and special discussion sessions with international sports policymakers and representatives of Olympic committees from different countries.
