Score a goal for inclusivity

This article was submitted as part of sportanddev’s call for articles on sport and democracy. Want to share your views? Find out how.

The empowerment of women and the establishment of gender equality are crucial to democracy. Democracy is as much about citizenship rights, participation and inclusion as it is about political parties, elections, and checks and balances.

The Athens Comics Library and the U.S. Mission to Greece teamed up with U.S. soccer stars to empower women and defeat discrimination, and invited to Greece Tara Koleski and Jennifer Grubb, former players of the U.S. National Women’s Soccer Team. 

Building bridges through sport

Sports diplomacy is a way to build bridges and enhance people-to-people ties, as the universal passion for sports transcends sociocultural and linguistic barriers, and unites people.

Back in November 2022, the American players visited youth academies, schools, training centers, and civil society organizations that use soccer as a platform for social development. The U.S. players engaged with numerous women's and youth soccer teams in Athens and Thessaloniki, and had the opportunity to share their experience and expertise with the Greek public through sports clinics, workshops, lectures and training activities. 

Football is not only a powerful engagement tool, but it can also directly support various communities to achieve important outcomes. Many of these outcomes lay the foundation - such as simple improvements in soft skills or mental wellbeing. Practicing football might contribute to psychological wellbeing and physical health. It enables exercise and stress release, reduces anxiety, improves physical fitness while supporting production of happiness hormones.

Finally, it can be used as a tool for building soft skills. Through teamwork it improves communication, trains positive leadership behavior,  fosters punctuality, self-discipline and resilience, but also self-confidence.

Women’s rights and democracy

The democratization and women's rights movements are closely intertwined and essential to each other. In the realm of football and sports, separating the two could result in a problematic outcome. For example, when a sports organization undergoes a democratic process without strong institutions and a solid foundation of equality and rights for all, it can lead to the rise of patriarchal norms and the marginalization of women.

This is why it is crucial to approach the democratization of football and sports with a focus on promoting women's rights and equality, ensuring that women are not relegated to second-class status. By doing so, we can create a more democratic and inclusive sports community that values and protects the rights of all individuals.

The “Score a Goal for Inclusivity” project focuses on advancing women's rights and promoting democracy through promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion, with a specific emphasis on gender equality and the integration of marginalized groups. The goal is to increase female participation in sports, particularly in fields traditionally considered male-dominated, and empower young women by raising awareness and challenging gender stereotypes that may impact their choices.

The project shares experiences and best practices in using football as a means to advance women's rights and democracy, and raises awareness of the issues of gender-based violence and hate speech in football, both on and off the field. By inviting local media to change their narrative and encouraging football clubs and authorities to take action towards gender equality, the project works towards creating a more democratic and inclusive society that values and protects the rights of women.

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Dr. Lida Tsene is the founder of Athens Comics Library. Passionate about communication, Lida holds a degree in Communication, Media and Culture and a PhD on Social Media and Social Responsibility.

Dina Ntziora is a Community Engagement expert, delivering community-driven, inclusive and transformative projects for the creative city.