UNFPA Egypt launched the Guardian Girls Global Karate Project in partnership with the Koyamada International Foundation (KIF) and the World Karate Federation (WKF) on January 28 to empower girls and young women to overcome gender-based violence through Karate training.
The project, held at the Residence of the Japanese Ambassador in Cairo on Saturday evening, January 28-29, included a series of self-defense seminars where girls and young women can learn tools to confront situations of violence.
Minister of Youth and Sports Dr. Ashraf Sobhy, UNFPA Representative in Egypt Frederika Meijer, Ambassador of Japan to Egypt, Oka Hiroshi, President of WFK Antonio Espinos, youth KIF Co-Founder and President Nia Lyte, and President of the Egyptian Karate Federation Mohamed Al Dahrawy attended the event.
That came as part of the Guardian Girls project, following a global agreement between UNFPA and KIF in 2019. The Guardian Girls project activities have already been established in several countries in Africa.
The activities kicked off with a self-defense Karate Seminar by Amy Connell of Scotland, a two‐time European Championships medalist, Commonwealth champion, and a specialist in women’s empowerment activities, together with two‐time World champion and Olympic Games medalist Giana Farouk of Egypt.
Lastly, a special demonstration to showcase Karate’s social contribution to eliminating Gender‐Based Violence took place at the Cairo International Stadium on Sunday, January 29, during the finals of the Karate 1‐Premier League currently taking place in Cairo.
The Guardian Girls Global Karate Project premiered in October 2022 in Los Angeles (United States). After an official presentation at the Consulate General of Japan in Los Angeles, the pilot seminar of Guardian Girls Global Karate was held at the Terasaki Budokan of Los Angeles to help women in the Los Angeles area to face situations of Gender-Based Violence through Karate training.
