By: Mugenzi Napoleon
The Pedagogical and Operational Coordinator of PLAY International in Rwanda, Pascaline Curtet, has urged Rwandan sports journalists to become more actively involved in promoting and increasing the visibility of women’s sport, which she views as a crucial tool in addressing gender inequality within the sports sector.
She made the call on Thursday, January 8, 2026, during a media sensitisation meeting that brought together sports journalists, leading figures in Rwandan women’s sport, as well as institutional and civil society stakeholders in the sports sector.
According to Pascaline Curtet, promoting girls and women through sport should not be the responsibility of a single actor, but rather a collective effort involving the media, sports federations, clubs, and public institutions. She stressed the strategic role of the media in transforming mindsets and practices within the sports movement.
“Media visibility for women and girls in sport can significantly influence how clubs and federations perceive and treat them. Everyone has a role to play in reducing gender inequality in sport,” she said, calling on the sports press to give women’s sport more equitable coverage.
Female athletes attending the meeting expressed frustration over the lack of media coverage of women’s sport in Rwanda compared to men’s sport. They believe that limited visibility not only hinders the promotion of their disciplines but also restricts access to sponsorship opportunities and better conditions within clubs.
Charlotte Umugwaneza, a player with the APR Women Basketball Club, pointed out that insufficient media support remains a major obstacle to the development of women’s sport. “With such limited visibility, it is difficult to attract partners or sponsors. The low number of women sports journalists is also a challenge,” she explained.
She also criticised the persistent disparities in the treatment of APR’s women’s teams compared to the men’s teams, despite comparable competitive performances. According to Umugwaneza, increased media coverage could help change the attitudes of sports leaders and improve recognition of women’s sport.
Representing Rwanda’s Ministry of Sports, Paula Kami, Director in charge of sports events, reaffirmed the importance of strong partnerships between public institutions, the media, and sports stakeholders to achieve sustainable and inclusive development in the sports sector. She assured that the ministry is committed to supporting initiatives aimed at increasing the visibility of women’s sport while promoting talent development.
The meeting was organised as part of PLAY International’s “Toutes En Sport” project, which seeks to provide a collaborative platform for key stakeholders to assess the current state of media coverage of women’s and girls’ sport and to identify concrete actions to improve their visibility, representation, and recognition in the media. The initiative is also considered a key strategy for sustainably addressing gender inequality in sport.
