GIZ and FIFA are launching a new call for projects. Organizations from around the world are invited to submit project proposals to obtain funding on the theme of women’s empowerment. With this program, the two institutions wish to combat gender inequality.
The very first project co-funded under the Sport for Mental Health and Social Cohesion program was a great success, with credit to FIFA, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (German International Cooperation Agency, GIZ) – commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development – and the French Development Agency (AFD).
This project showed the importance of football and sport in general as vectors of social cohesion, unity and inclusion in societies. Following this initiative, FIFA and GIZ are launching the Women’s Empowerment through Sport Program, which will primarily focus on gender equality. Connected thanks to AFD, the two institutions are continuing their partnership through this new project.
From November 2, 2023, the program will allow organizations from the 30 GIZ partner countries to submit project proposals. Only proposals will be examined with the following objectives:
– the fight against gender inequalities;
– the fight against sexist and sexual violence; Or
– the empowerment of women and the strengthening of their role.
“This program is a perfect opportunity to contribute to the empowerment of young girls and women by leveraging the power of transformation and social cohesion of sport. The German state’s feminist development policy gives pride of place to these kinds of projects, which aim to combat gender inequalities and promote the involvement of women in positions of responsibility,” declared Jens Elsner, from the Sport for Development program.
In total, 16 projects will be selected by the partner association La Guilde, which fights against gender inequalities, promotes women’s access to positions of responsibility and works for their professional integration, the development of skills and life values, and health through sport.
This initiative goes hand in hand with the eight activities carried out within the framework of the FIFA Women’s Development Program, whose objective is to support the growth of women’s football, but also with the German feminist development policy, which for more than ten years, relies on sport to promote gender equality. GIZ and FIFA will work together to change societies so that gender equality is recognized as a human right and is practically exercised throughout the world.
Call for applications – procedure:
- Consult the regulations to ensure the eligibility of your organization and your project
- Download the application tutorial
- Go to the application platform
Among the projects submitted by FIFA member associations, three will benefit from financial support from the governing body of world football. The thirteen other projects will be subsidized by GIZ and at least 30% of the allocated amount will be intended for African organizations.
To be eligible, projects must involve women, but also men and boys, in order to recognize the role of the latter in the fight for gender equality and for more egalitarian societies.
Among these projects, those that directly or indirectly target vulnerable women who are victims of discrimination will be given priority. Projects can be for any sport. For football-related projects, proposals supported by a FIFA member association will be given priority.
“At FIFA, we work every day to support the growth of women’s football. To do this, we rely in particular on our sport as a vector of societal change,” said Sarai Bareman, director of the FIFA Women’s Football division. “I am particularly enthusiastic about the idea of collaborating with GIZ, an organization which is also committed to improving the living conditions of young girls and women around the world. This partnership can only strengthen the effectiveness of the work we carry out with our member associations as part of the FIFA Women’s Development Program. This initiative aims to combat gender inequalities. We look forward to working hand in hand with GIZ and leveraging the unifying power of women’s football to drive real change. “
Article Credit: sportanddev