(Mar. 8, 2022) - As a member of the World Taekwondo Council and President of the Nigeria Taekwondo Federation, Magaret Elizabeth Binga is one of the foremost female Taekwondo leaders.

 

Binga joined the World Taekwondo Council last year and believes strongly that greater female representation within board rooms will help “unplug the final details that may go unseen from the naked eye.” At the same time “Taekwondo can create safe space and possibilities for women and girls by helping out of school girls to take ownership of their life.”

 

World Taekwondo is committed to gender equity and has been working to increase female representation within the federation itself and within the Member National Associations. Great progress has been made but World Taekwondo has acknowledged there is more to be done.

 

Engaging prominent female leaders like Binga is vital and ahead of International Women’s Day, World Taekwondo spoke with her on why it is so important more women take up leadership positions in Taekwondo.

 

“It’s very important because women are able to make bold and wise decisions as leaders,” she said. “They boost team work across the organization and help in the implementation of new culture within the board. At the same time, they need support to step forward and overcome the habit holding them back.

 

“When women become leaders they provide a different set of skills, imaginative perspective, structural and cultural differences that drive effective solutions in bringing a creative standpoint, a new sense of awareness which will also follow to unplug the final details that may go unseen from the naked eye.”

 

So, what work can be done to increase the number of female leaders at a national level?

 

“The election procedure; the requirements should be flexible enough to accommodate,” Binga says. “Mentorship relationships to help women leaders achieve goals. Build culture that will help foster the success of the female leader. Effective collaboration with others. Mental abuse from the men should be discouraged. Sports based leadership and personal development programs that builds girls who are strong on the inside mentally and emotionally, and strong on the outside physically and energetically should be encouraged and sponsored to attract more participation.”

 

“I support the introduction of female quotas to get more representation, but at the same time that will not stop them from standing elections beyond the quotas.”

 

Magaret’s message to aspiring female leaders is clear: “No matter the odds they should believe in themselves! Rise up to the challenge and contribute to humanity.”