Farkhunda Muhtaj, our Director of Conscience and Culture, played a crucial role in helping 300 Afghan soccer players and their families escape from the clutches of the Taliban following their takeover in August 2021. Her unwavering determination and commitment to ensuring the safety and future of these young Afghan girls were nothing short of heroic. “I knew that they couldn’t be left behind,” Farkhunda Muhtaj recalls. This extraordinary journey of survival and resilience is at the heart of a new documentary that shines a light on the Afghan youth football team’s escape, resettlement, and their triumphant participation in the Gothia Cup in Sweden.

Under the oppressive rule of the Taliban, girls were banned from going to school, women’s rights were severely restricted, and sports, once a source of inspiration, were no longer accessible to them. The team’s story, often fraught with danger and uncertainty, serves as a symbol of the resilience and unity among these young girls.

Despite the harrowing experiences they endured during their escape, the team found solace and a profound sense of unity within their ranks. Their shared experiences in the face of adversity only strengthened their bonds.

Upon reaching safety in Lisbon, Portugal, the team members experienced a surge of emotion. For them, it was a chance at a brighter future and an opportunity to continue pursuing their passion for football.

Their journey was far from over, as they set their sights on the Gothia Youth World Cup, marking the first time Afghanistan would be represented in the tournament. The preparation and training were monumental for the team, and it was a source of immense pride for them.

For the girls of Ayenda FC, sharing their story became a mission in itself. They understood the significance of shedding light on the challenges female athletes face in Afghanistan. Playing football has taken on profound meaning for these young athletes. Their incredible journey serves as a testament to the power of resilience and the enduring spirit of Afghan girls, standing up for their dreams and paving the way for a brighter future.

Keeping Girls in Sport: An Overview on Girl’s Sport Participation.

Women and girls want to play sports. They are passionate, driven, and dedicated to the activities they love. It is our responsibility as a community to ensure they have the right environment, tools and resources to enjoy their sport and to stay active for life.

It is proven that sports improve the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of people. Despite all the benefits, girls are leaving sport at a young age and rarely pursue this into adulthood. By thirteen, 70% of kids leave sport. Girls drop out of sport at twice the rate of boys. An alarming one in three Canadian girls leave sport in their adolescence.

According to the World Health Organization, only 15% of girls meet the 60 minutes of recommended moderate to vigorous activity. Less than 20% of Canadian Women aged 16-63 participate in sport (Canadian Women Sport, 2020). These inequalities are also reflected in stakeholders and staff members involved in sport. 

So, what is stopping girls from continuing an active lifestyle and how can we help fix this? 

The problem isn’t persuading girls to be active; they already want to be. We need to provide girls with relevant opportunities and resources to play and find viable solutions that will help keep them in the game and active for life.  

Luckily, we can all help change these statistics and play a dynamic role in supporting quality sporting opportunities for girls by understanding why girls drop out of sport. 

Lack of access to sport is one of the main reasons why girls are not involved or don’t remain active. Limited opportunities to play on school teams or in free community organizations means that girls have to look elsewhere which is usually not cost friendly. The cost of sport and physical activity is a great barrier in accessing physical wellness.  

Girls also leave sport due to the lack of fun or decreased quality experience. The facilities may be subpar, lack of resources and tools to support their development in their sport, negative environment with unrealistic expectations, and they may not be in an optimal environment to grow with quality trained coaches. This ultimately leads to sport and activity not being desirable anymore.  

Moreover, there are social pressures, gender stereotypes, lack of diversity and inclusivity and sometimes negative connotations associated with girls that compete in sport. Girls are also often hesitant to compete in sport or be physically active because they may lack the confidence to move athletically or are afraid they will be judged based on their body image. The social pressure of what a girl should look like in sport can dismay girls from even being involved.   

As a community we need to first help build girls’ confidence in order for them to enjoy their experience. Physical literacy is the fundamental movement skills that help kids be confident to participate in activities. When kids are confident in the games they enjoy, they will look to further improve their skillset leading to greater conviction in their abilities. 

Girls need opportunities to compete in sport at school, their communities and the public sphere. However, girls will only remain in sport if they are in an environment that is safe, accessible, and inclusive. They need to feel valued and appreciated in order to continue to be involved in activities. Furthermore, their individual, cultural and religious needs must also be accommodated and welcomed if we want to achieve the full participation of women and girls in sport. Sport and physical activity are for all; therefore, we must ensure everyone feels a sense of belonging.  

We all truly want girls to stay involved in sport and continue their passion. Through sport, girls learn critical life skills such as leadership, time management, teamwork, and confidence that can be transferred to any environment. It also allows them to be positive role models for future generations of young girls. 

The progression of girls’ sport is contingent on dismantling structural issues, programming availability, equitable opportunities, building sustainable solutions and educating our communities on the importance of girls’ participation in sport.  

Supporting girls to be active is a community wide responsibility. In response to the concerns of why girls aren’t participating in sport and activity and the high drop-out rates, Respect Group developed “Keeping Girls in Sport”. This unique program was created to help everyone who coaches girls understand how they develop physically, mentally, socially, and emotionally. When we understand how and why girls play, we can help every young athlete stay in sport, reach their potential, and remain active long after the competitions end. Finally becoming the next generation of inspiring female coaches and role models.  

We all play an integral role in advancing opportunities for women and girls. Let’s take action and be a part of the change we want to see. 

References:

Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport CCES (2022). Power of Sport: The True Sport Report 2022.  https://cces.ca/sites/default/files/content/docs/pdf/cces-true-sport-report-2022-acc-eng.pdf (accessed October 5, 2022)

Canadian Women Sport (2020a). The Rally Report: Encouraging Action to Improve Sport for Women and Girls. Available online at: https://womenandsport.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Canadian-Women-Sport_The-Rally-Report.pdf (accessed October 5, 2022)

Canadian Women Sport (2020b). The Rally Report: Encouraging Action to Improve Sport for Women and Girls. Available online at: https://womenandsport.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Canadian-Women-Sport_The-Rally-Report.pdf (October 5, 2022)

Government of Canada (2009). Actively Engaged: A Policy on Sport for Women and Girls. Available online at: https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/services/sport-policies-acts-regulations/policy-actively-engaged-women-girls.html (October 5, 2022)

Government of Canada (2019). Working Group on Gender Equity in Sport of the Minister of Science and Sport. https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/services/working-group-gender-equity.html (accessed October 5, 2022)

Rich KA, Moore E, Boggs J and Pegoraro A (2022) Mapping Women’s Community Sport Participation to Inform Sport Develop Initiatives: A Case Study of Row Ontario. Front. Sports Act. Living 4:836525.doi: 10.3389/fspor.2022.836525

To acknowledge the International Day of the Girl, we decided to take a closer look at the impact the pandemic has had on girls in sport and how we can take action, now, to keep them engaged.

The Pandemic Impact on Girls in Sport Report by Canadian Women & Sport

“The Pandemic Impact on Girls in Sport Report, which collected data from over 5,000 Canadian families, shows that 1 in 4 girls are not committed to returning to sport. If we don’t act now to counter this trend, we might realize a new normal of over 350,000 girls sitting on the sidelines in the post-COVID-19 world.”

Source: https://womenandsport.ca/resources/research-insights/the-pandemic-impact-on-girls-in-sport/

You can download the full report by clicking here.

Interview with CBC: Pandemic slows girls’ participation in sport

“Physical activity levels have plummeted during the pandemic. For every boy that stops participating in sport, it is predicted that 4 girls will call it quits. But research offers tips on how to keep girls engaged and active for longer. Faith Fundal spoke to Wayne McNeil with Respect Group, an organization that developed a program designed to keep girls in sport.”

Source: https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-111-up-to-speed/clip/15867398-pandemic-slows-girls-participation-sport

You can listen to the full interview with our co-founder by clicking here.

The Keeping Girls in Sport program

The Keeping Girls in Sport program was created to address the challenge of high dropout rates amongst girls from sport during adolescence, aiming to give coaches and youth leaders the tools to understand and address the barriers to girls’ continued participation in sport.

We know that sport and physical activity have powerful impacts on our mental, physical, emotional, and social health, yet, even with all the positive benefits of being active girls and women are becoming less active and leaving sport.

It’s frustrating, but there are many reasons girls leave sport. Too many competing demands for their time between work and family, financial pressures, social pressure girls feel from comparing themselves to unrealistic media images, expectations of femininity, and the list goes on.

The Keeping Girls in Sport program examines these pressures, and suggests proactive ways to keep girls engaged, and excited about participating in sport and physical activity. It provides insights from girls, in their own voices, about the influence sport has in their lives. By empowering girls and helping them see themselves in a more positive light, as both capable athletes and dynamic individuals, we set them up for success. Whether they participate simply for fun and recreation, reach levels of elite competition, or grow up to be coaches and leaders themselves, that influence carries over into every aspect of a girl’s life.

So, if you coach, lead, or mentor a girl, this program is for you. It’s about reflecting on who you are as a leader, how you lead, and how you can support every girl who participates. While coaching girls and boys is largely the same, there are some unique differences that we need to consider so we can create the best possible sport environment for girls and women.

If you want to know more about the program, click here. If you would like your organization to take the program, please contact us at: info@respectgroupinc.com