Maldives: Football encourages young women to reach for their goals
2,286 views · Published 28 June 2011 · 3:26 · Indexed 26 September 2026
Channel: United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) · 2011 · Nonprofits & Activism
With their heads raised high, 21 young women come onto the field. The Maldives' Women's National Football team is ready for kick-off. Their mothers and grandmothers never had a chance on the pitch. But a new initiative is helping to break gender stereotypes in Maldives, a small island nation in the Arabian Sea southwest of Sri Lanka. With support from the Government of Switzerland, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Football Association of Maldives launched a project in September 2010 to increase women's participation in football and sports -- and to encourage them to reach for their goals in life. The team's challenges and milestones are highlighted in the documentary 'Strides ', co-produced by UNDP, which shows how football can be a powerful tool for change. "The inspirational examples of each team member show that personal goals are important not only for the individual but also for building team spirit," said Ferdinand von Habsburg-Lothringen, Advisor for Social Cohesion and Governance at UNDP Maldives."This project aims to inspire young women to continue breaking the glass ceilingin all sphere of life." "Our main challenge is to make women believe that football can also be a career opportunity," said Mauroof Ahmed,Technical Director at the Football Association. "So we urge women to participate not only as players but also as coaches and referees, to name a few roles." One team member, Aminath Nasheeda, says: "My greatest goals were to create a national football team and play in it: two goals accomplished with the help of supportive coaches." UNDP Maldives continues to encourage the use of sports as a tool for empowerment. 'Strides' is still being screened in schools and broadcast by the country's main networks.
