A major step forward for women in motorsport
The Women´s Commissions of the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) and the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) attended yesterday the IWG World Conference on Women and Sport “Lead the Change – Be the Change” held in Helsinki, Finland. At this event, which drew more than 800 participants from close to 100 countries, the FIA signed the Brighton Declaration that was signed by the FIM in 2006. The commissions also held a meeting together where they discussed the opportunities for co-operation and decided to join forces.
“It was extremely important for us to meet and discuss common interests. I am really happy that we have similar ideas,” said Nita Korhonen, the Director of the FIM Commission for Women in Motorcycling.
“It´s a good idea to work together. We are stronger together, added Michelle Mouton, Director of FIA Women in Motorsport Commission.
The commissions have already discussed a number of projects they plan to implement together.
“The FIA is working really hard for road safety, it´s the baby of our president Jean Todt. As a woman and a mother I agree that it´s an important initiative. In the beginning we started with a helmet project in Asia. Now we need to take a bigger step and this is something we can do together with the FIM,” Mouton explained.
“Social responsibility is a significant part of the FIM´s strategy so naturally road safety is an important aspect for us as well. We have been saying for quite some time that our commission should also pay more attention to this aspect and now, together with the FIA, we shall definitely be able to do more,” said Korhonen.
The FIM Commission for Women in Motorcycling was established in 2006 and the FIA´s Commission in 2009. Both commissions have worked hard to improve the situation of women in motorsport and both face similar obstacles.
Research being carried out by the FIA will help both Federations realise their goals. “The biggest challenge is how to get more women into motorsport and I really want to understand the reason why there are not more women at the moment. We are trying to get more data from all over the world of how many women are involved in racing and outside competition, and then we will know what should be done,” Mouton explained.
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