June 7 – World governing body FIFA and the United Nations Women – the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women – have signed a first-ever MoU on Friday to empower girls and women around the world and achieve gender equality.
“This is a significant moment for FIFA as we combine forces with UN Women to realise gender equality for women both on and off the pitch,” said FIFA president Gianni Infantino. “Together, we will raise awareness about women’s football and its impact in terms of health, empowerment and positive role models for women and girls around the world.”
The MoU will have three pillars of the UN Women approach as the basis of cooperation between the two entities – policy, legacy and advocacy – and details a general framework for a detailed future roadmap.
“UN Women and FIFA are committed to levelling the playing field for women and girls, leveraging football’s mass appeal to bring positive change around the world. We are confident that this partnership will make a real difference to the gender inequality that we currently see in all sports, and that we are working to end throughout society, knowing that the benefits are for everyone,” said UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka.
The MoU was signed at the end of FIFA women’s football symposium, which Infantino addressed this morning. Ironically, Infantino reiterated his comments about the value of the women’s game, but sidestepped the issue of sexual harassment that has been clouding the women’s game in recent months at various levels.
Contact the writer of this story, Samindra Kunti, at moc.l1713582232labto1713582232ofdlr1713582232owedi1713582232sni@o1713582232fni1713582232