EFDN promotes Gender Equality
Today the #Morethanfootball Action Weeks celebrates the Gender Equality Action Day as the campaign enters the final stretch. EFDN and participating organisations will highlight and showcase initiatives that support the female gender across the European continent. Women and girls represent half of the world’s population and, therefore, also half of its potential. Gender equality, besides being a fundamental human right, is essential to achieve peaceful societies, with full human potential and sustainable development. Moreover, it has been shown that empowering women spurs productivity and economic growth (UN).
Unfortunately, there is still a long way to go to achieve full equality of rights and opportunities between men and women. It is of paramount importance to end the multiple forms of gender violence and secure equal access to quality education and health, economic resources and participation in political life for both women and girls and men and boys. It is also essential to achieve equal opportunities in access to employment and to positions of leadership and decision-making at all levels.
There has been progress over the last decades: More girls are going to school, fewer girls are forced into early marriage, more women are serving in parliament and positions of leadership, and laws are being reformed to advance gender equality. Despite these gains, many challenges remain:
discriminatory laws and social norms remain pervasive, women continue to be underrepresented at all levels of political leadership, and 1 in 5 women and girls between the ages of 15 and 49 report experiencing physical or sexual violence by an intimate partner within a 12-month period.
The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic could reverse the limited progress that has been made on gender equality and women’s rights. The coronavirus outbreak exacerbates existing inequalities for women and girls across every sphere – from health and the economy, to security and social
protection.
The pandemic has also led to a steep increase in violence against women and girls. With lockdown measures in place, many women are trapped at home with their abusers, struggling to access services that are suffering from cuts and restrictions. Emerging data shows that, since the outbreak of the pandemic, violence against women and girls – and particularly domestic violence – has intensified.
EFDN implements various programmes aimed at empowering the girl child and women such as:
Active Fans – the programme aims to develop a new European standard and methodology that uses football as a tool to reach men and women from 35 years and older who would like to get physically active again, make lifestyle changes and improve their diets. Participants receive the opportunity to learn about nutrition, get physically active and start to feel the benefits of weight loss and increased energy. Men and women get together fit with their favourite football club.
Community Champions League – it is a social street football competition where the participating teams win more points for fair play, fair support and volunteering in community activities than by winning their street football matches. With the aim of promoting social integration through sport, it provides the opportunity for people from different cultures to come together to build relationships and friendships while breaking down barriers through the prevention of violence, racism and intolerance in grassroots sports and their communities. The teams are mixed and girls and boys carry out community contributions together.
Scoring for Health – it aims to tackle the problem of childhood obesity which, as identified by the World Health Organization, is still a critical issue throughout Europe today. With the underlying target of promoting a healthy diet and lifestyle amongst children, their families and wider communities across Europe, the programme encourages children from 7 to 14 years and their parents to adopt a healthy lifestyle and make them aware of healthy nutrition.
For the Gender Equality Action Day, we propose the following ideas to commemorate the day.Organisations have the leeway to adjust them to fit their projects and initiatives.
• organise an all-female tournament
• provide free coaching lessons for girls
• show banners that display an empowering message to girls
• fill your social media channels with pictures and stories of the women in your organisation
• share photos and videos of female players
• show how women and especially women footballers contribute to your community programmes
