Shahosh Sports for all training programme at Gaibandha, Bangladesh

The Shahosh sports for all programme at Gaibandha, Bangladesh aimed to provide an opportunity for girls to come and participate in sports, to express themselves, and to overcome stereotypes of female participation in sport.

From daily labour to businesses, from the armed forces to politics, the women of Bangladesh are shattering glass ceilings left and right. They are at the forefront of a new emerging and confident Bangladesh. According to the World Economic Forum (WEF), Bangladesh is now the second most gender equal country in Asia, the top in South Asia in gender equality, and ranks 47th among 144 countries of the world in the Global Gender Gap Index.

But when it comes to sport participation there is still social taboos, and conservative attitudes that females face in the community. Girls and women face a disproportionate number of challenges to participation in sport or physical activities, which reduce their ability to achieve their full potential. Recent studies show that despite formal guarantees of equality, the overall rate of progress for women, particularly those from the poorest and most marginalized regions has been slow. Women and girls continue to encounter inequalities and deprivations in their daily lives, which prevent them from contributing toward both the creation of more equitable societies and sustainable development within their communities and beyond.

Sports for Hope and Independence (SHI) aimed to overcome the stereotypes of female sports participation as well as empower girls through sport. The Shahosh sports for all training program towards an inclusive society at PolashBari, Gaibandha in Bangladesh was designed to provide the opportunity for girls to participate in football, and at the same time participate in disability sports to understand the difficulties persons with disabilities faces every day in our communities. SHI believes that experiencing impairment will help participants to show empathy towards a person with the impairment.

Specific objectives of the programme:

Create a safe space for girls where they can come and express themselves
To be able to establish connections with persons with disabilities and provide them with a platform for social interaction with others.
To promote the spirit of sportsmanship among the participants with the view of strengthening and boosting mass participation of girls in sports
To overcome the stereotypes around female participation in sports
Spread the understanding and acceptance of disability

We strongly believe the number of girls participants in sports will increase significantly in the coming years as we have a strong and determined ally by our side: Honourable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.