In honour of International Women’s Day, we are sharing one of the most moving conversations from our 'Advancing Mobility Justice, Gender Equity, and Climate Action through Sport Symposium.’ In this powerful dialogue on 'Climate Action and Leisure: Grassroots Perspectives,’ four remarkable women share lived and deeply personal experiences that remind us sport and movement can be more than programming - it can serve as an infrastructure for dignity, survival, and community building - especially for girls, women, and gender-diverse people whose opportunities and mobilities are too often constrained.

This panel through together activist, practitioners, and scholars working across diverse contexts, including Afghanistan, Iraq, and Kenya. This was a really profound, relational exchange that is grounded in a feminist ethics of care about what activism look like when it simply exiting in a public space and how that space itself becomes active resistance.

First, we hear from Sana Mahmud, the Program Director for Free to Run in Iraq, Afghanistan and Palestine. Sana is an athlete and development practitioner with a Master’s in International Development from Ohio University. She has managed and facilitated sport-for-development projects, workshops, and events across Pakistan, Ecuador, Russia, and Qatar, while partnering with organizations such as UN Women and Oxfam. A former captain of Pakistan’s national women’s football and basketball teams, Sana is passionate about advancing gender equity, youth development, and social change through sport.

Next, we have Alison Carney, a Gender Inclusion in Sport Consultant. Alison is an independent consultant, facilitator, and researcher who supports community sport organizations to build inclusive, just practices that contribute to social change. Her research explores gender equity in sport, LGBTQI+ experiences in Sport for Development, and pathways to gender inclusion. She is currently collaborating with the UN Climate Change (UNFCCC) Sport for Climate Action team to develop and deliver virtual courses on sport for climate action, including a course for grassroots sport organizations to learn about and discuss taking climate action.

Finally, we hear from Cyprine Odada is an Urban Planner and passionate champion for livable, inclusive cities. She is the Founder & CEO of Women Shaping Cities, an organization advancing gender-inclusive urban planning and mobility, and holds an Executive MSc in Cities from the London School of Economics.

This session is beautifully moderated by the brilliant Dr. Holly Thorpe, a Professor in the University of Waikato Te Huataki Waiora School of Health and a leading scholar in the sociology of sport, gender, and youth culture. Holly's research examines action sports, gender and embodiment, feminist approaches to sport and physical culture, and the relationships between sport, environmental sustainability, and social justice. Holly has authored and edited numerous influential books and articles and is internationally recognized for her work on feminist methodologies, youth cultures, and sport for social change.

Sana Mahmud's LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sana-mahmud-02432482/

Alison Carney's LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alison-carney-5a170413/

Cyprine Odada's LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cyprine-odada-8524a530/

Dr. Holly Thorpe's LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/holly-thorpe-52024a8/

Featured in this podcast: Sana Mahmud, Alison Carney, Cyprine Odada, Dr. Holly Thorpe, and Dr. Lyndsay Hayhurst.

Music by: Kevin McLeod and Broke for Free via the 'Free Music Archive'

Album artwork: Keiron Cobban