Barriers stopping women exercising
Pressure on women to care for their families prevents them from getting the exercise they need
Thursday March 11 2010
Pressure on women to care for their families prevents them from getting the exercise they need, an Assembly Committee has been warned.
The Culture Committee's inquiry into participation in sport and physical activity heard from women's groups who said social barriers and the workload carried by women reduce their options.
The groups said childcare responsibilities were a major issue, but they also cited poverty, ill health, old age, access to transport and a lack of facilities in parts of Northern Ireland as barriers to women enjoying exercise.
The Women's Centre Regional Partnership was represented by the group's co-ordinator, Tiziania O'Hara, plus Louise Coyle of the Northern Ireland Women's Rural Network and Waterside Women's Centre director Geraldine Compton.
"Childcare for disadvantaged women needs to be addressed in a specific manner," said Ms O'Hara. "Childcare has to be affordable, it has to be accessible, accessible especially in the locality where the activities are. Childcare is only one aspect of the care and responsibility that women still currently in Northern Ireland, in our society, have and that can be in the course of their life time.
When they are young, they care for their siblings. When they are young mothers, (they care for) their children. But even later on in life they may care for the older ones or the sick members of the family, as well as grandchildren."
The women's groups said they offered a series of facilities and courses to women, but told MLAs that a lack of regular long-term funding hindered their work, while a lack of funding also prevented the provision of courses to all parts of Northern Ireland.
Women living in both rural and urban areas faced problems accessing transport to attend venues where they can exercise. The cost of accessing leisure centres was an issue. But they also said that in communities that were badly hit by the Troubles, there is a legacy of social problems, poverty, plus physical and mental ill health.
The Women's Centre representatives asked that Assembly members try to tailor any new provisions to tackle barriers faced by women and to make it easier for all women to enjoy new opportunities to exercise.
Ms O'Hara said a significant effort was necessary if society hoped to make a meaningful impact on problems that robbed women of opportunities and deprived society of a chance to encourage individuals to improve themselves.
