DECISION 1 –
COVID-19
In 2020, COVID- 19 threatened to erase the momentum and unprecedented attention that girls’ sport has gained around the world. From the elite to the grassroots, the gaps between women and men, girls and boys started to widen, with girls and women losing access to the benefits of sport.
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At WW, we believe that girls and women taking action in their communities are at the centre of change. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for both smaller scale initiatives as well as more organisations around the world seizing the opportunity to bring girls into decision making. Outbreaks and crises compound existing inequalities and disproportionately affect women and girls and therefore it is important to continue providing opportunities to develop both leadership and economic resilience.
UNDER LOCKDOWN MEASURES...
Under lockdown measures, girls and women are at significantly increased risk of experience:
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Different forms of violence
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Unplanned pregnancies
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Child marriage
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School drop-out
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As schools close and sports programmes stop, girls and women lose access to their safe spaces, mentors and support networks.
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If activities are shifted online, girls and young women may be less likely to engage due to the priority of care work, household chores and due to the digital divide.
PLAY IT FORWARD, ASOCIACION AMA
GIRLS AND WOMEN ARE UNIQUELY IMPACTED...
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Erasure of joy, freedom and pleasure
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Limited physical activity or movement
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Social isolation
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Violence and trauma
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Lack of peer support networks
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Deteriorating financial situations of families
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In combination, these factors will challenge girls' and women's health and threaten their educational and economic rights.
MADE TO PLAY, CHITRAL WOMEN'S SPORTS CLUB
For Champions participating in a seed grant programme, working to design and implement their own projects, can provide many benefits during COVID-19, including
TRANSFERABLE SKILLS
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In designing and implementing their own projects, Champions will have the opportunity to develop new leadership skills. These skills are transferable and will support them in finding future employment.
