The WKF is one of three partners in a self-defence project designed to empower young women ©Getty Images

The World Karate Federation (WKF), the Koyamada International Foundation (KIF) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) have partnered to launch self-defence initiative the Guardian Girls Global Karate Project.

The scheme has been created to fight gender-based violence and will train girls and young women in karate to ensure they can defend themselves from aggression.

It is planned that the project will be developed at WKF Karate 1-Premier League events, with one more leg due to be staged this season.

Guardian Girls self-defence seminars and demonstrations are also promised to take place at all of the WKF's major tournaments.

A pilot event has been scheduled for October 7 and 8 at the Terasaki Budokan in Los Angeles.

Former world champion Elisa Au and Olympian Sakura Kokumai, both American, are scheduled to lead the training sessions.

A pilot event has been organised in Los Angeles, with Elisa Au and Sakura Kokumai advised as instructors ©KIF
A pilot event has been organised in Los Angeles, with Elisa Au and Sakura Kokumai advised as instructors ©KIF

Kokumai is also a Pan American Games gold medallist.

Los Angeles is where the KIF's global headquarters are located. 

It also had been due to stage the last Karate 1-Premier League leg of the season, after the event was moved from Moscow because of the war in Ukraine, but the WKF has had to postpone the season-ending competition and is seeking to reschedule. 

The WKF and KIF signed an agreement earlier this year to collaborate on using karate to assist vulnerable individuals.

The UNFPA is the United Nations' sexual and reproductive health agency.