How could we make better use of the potential of the Latin American Women's Funds by using sport as a way of empowering young women? How can sport be an ally in the fight against gender-based violence?
These questions will guide the workshop "Designing to address gender-based violence through sport in Latin America", organized by Women Win is promoting from May 11 to 13 in Mexico City.
Women Win is a global organization focused on empowering girls through sport, which since 2007 has had an impact on the lives of more than 1.24 million young women and adolescents in more than 100 countries. In this workshop, Women Win brings together the ELAS Fund, the Semillas Fund (Mexico), the Central American Women's Fund - FCAM (Central America), the Organization of Young Women of Santa Martha (El Salvador), the Gonzo Soccer and Leadership Academy (Mexico, United States and Colombia) and the organization Women, Struggles and Rights for All - MULYD (Mexico).
The ELAS Fund, which has expanding access to culture, communication, art and sport as one of its investment areas, will give a presentation on the initiatives of Brazilian women's groups that it has supported in this area. Amalia Fischer, general coordinator, and KK Verdade, executive coordinator, will be present.
"Since it was founded, the ELAS Fund has supported groups that practise sport or use sport as a tool to make women and girls aware of their rights. We supported one of the first meetings of women capoeiristas in the Northeast, when they demanded women capoeirista masters. We have also supported soccer tournaments in Brasilia that were used by lesbian groups to work on lesbophobia, GAMI in Rio Grande do Norte that also uses soccer, and Streetfootballworld Brasil. Many women's groups practise sport as one of their activities and actions to regain self-esteem and spread laws and rights, but few say they use this tool, and it's very important that they start talking about how sport has helped transform women's lives, which goes beyond the Olympics or the World Cup," says Amalia.
“No último concurso recebemos 658 projetos voltados para o fim da violência doméstica, e pudemos selecionar apenas 33. Dos 658 enviados, 14 organizações propuseram trabalhar através do esporte a violência doméstica. Só foi selecionado um grupo de mulheres que trabalha com cultura, esporte e violência doméstica, o Festival Roque Pense, que promove um torneio de skate feminino. Gostaríamos de ter tido mais recursos para apoiar a maior quantidade possível, porque sabemos que essas organizações mistas são muito boas no trabalho que realizam, s&oac