Football Tournament: AMOJO (Nicaragua)
On the remote volcanic island of Ometepe in Lake Nicaragua, gender roles are strictly dominated by the machismo culture. For 11 years and running, AMOJO (a youth empowerment organisation) has held a girls’ football tournament to raise education, awareness and support. In 2011, 14 teams participated and hundreds in the community came out to watch, officiate, and provide support. The Directors name two winning teams – one that wins the most games and one that can answer the most questions correctly about sexual health and gender-based violence. The prize for winning is a t-shirt that says “I Always Wear Condoms.”
Sport Armband Campaign: The Young Witness (Australia)
Men’s teams in a New South Wales hockey competition wore purple armbands during games on the opening day of 16 Days to End Violence Against women. The Purple Armband Games involved sports teams wearing purple armbands during a game in an expression of support to sexual assault victims/survivors as well as making an on-field statement against violence. The symbolic gesture made a statement of respect for women, and acknowledged men’s role in the grief caused by sexual assault and standing against all forms of violence against women.
Radio Programme: Kick 4 Life (Lesotho)
Kick 4 Life delivers a range of projects focused on tackling HIV through sports-based health education, voluntary testing, life-skills development and support into education and employment in Lesotho- which ranks third in the world for HIV prevalence. Through a partnership with a community radio station in the capitol of Maseru, Kick4Life delivers a weekly radio programme that combines project news with local HIV education.
Nari Uddug Kendra (NUK) (Bangladesh)
On International Women’s Day 2011, (March 8th), NUK organized a rally which was attended by national sports personalities, Bangladesh Krira Shikha Protistan students, sports members of Bangladesh Ansar Academy, students of Physical Education College and the officials of the National Sports Council. The theme of the rally was gender equality and women’s rights. NUK would like to see more female coaches and managers and less discrimination against women in sport. NUK also organized a discussion meeting with female sports personalities and other relevant important sports-related stakeholders of Bangladesh on 8th March 2011 at the auditorium of National Sports Council (NSC).