The successful implementation of the first co-financed project under the Sport for Mental Health and Social Cohesion Programme was the result of a collaborative effort involving FIFA, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) – commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development – and the Agence Française de Développement (AFD). The above-mentioned project illustrates how football and sport in general can bridge social divides, bring people together and make societies more inclusive. Following on from this initiative, FIFA and GIZ are launching the Sport for Women’s Empowerment Programme, which focuses on gender equality. FIFA and GIZ were put in contact by the AFD and have committed to expanding their partnership through the implementation of this project. From 2 November 2023, organisations across 30 GIZ’s partner countries will be able to submit project proposals under the programme. In order to be eligible for consideration, projects must use sport as a tool to:

“The Sport for Women’s Empowerment Programme is a great opportunity to contribute to empowering girls and women through the transformative and bridging power of sport. Supporting projects that address gender inequalities and foster female leadership lies at the heart of Germany’s Feminist Development Policy,” says GIZ Head of Programme – Sport for Development Jens Elsner.

A total of 16 projects will be selected by the operating partner association – La Guilde – that focus on addressing gender inequalities and facilitating women’s access to leadership positions, professional integration, life skills and health through sport. The initiative aligns with the eight activties under the FIFA Women’s Development Programme, which aims to enhance the growth of the female game, and Germany’s Feminist Development Policy, which has been implementing and developing an approach focused on sport for gender equality for over ten years. GIZ and FIFA will work together to initiate change in societies worldwide in order to recognise gender equality as a human right and put this principle into practice. Call for proposals – application process: - Consult the regulations and check that your organisation and your project are eligible - Download the application tutorial - Go to the application platform Three of the selected projects submitted by FIFA member associations will receive financial support from world football’s governing body. The remaining thirteen projects will be subsidised by GIZ, with at least 30% of its funding to be allocated to African organisations.

Eligible projects under the programme should target both male and female participants, recognising that boys and men have a role to play on the path to gender equality and in achieving more equal societies globally. Priority will be given to those projects that directly or indirectly target vulnerable women who are victims of discrimination. Projects can be related to any sport. For football projects, preference will be given to those supported by a FIFA member association. “We at FIFA are working every day to accelerate the growth of women’s football, and a major part of our focus is using the women’s game as a driver to action greater societal change,” says FIFA Chief Women’s Football Officer Sarai Bareman. “To team up with GIZ, another organisation that’s committed to improving the lives of girls and women all around the world, is something that I’m really excited about. It’s a relationship that’ll only strengthen the work we’re doing with our member associations under the banner of the FIFA Women’s Development Programme. This initiative is designed to combat gender-specific inequality, and we look forward to working closely with GIZ and leveraging the power of women’s football to make a real difference.”

About GIZ As a service provider in the field of international cooperation for sustainable development and international education work, GIZ is dedicated to shaping a future worth living around the world. GIZ has over 50 years of experience in a wide variety of areas, including economic development and employment promotion, energy and the environment, and peace and security. The diverse expertise of its federal enterprise is in demand around the globe – from the German government, European Union institutions, the United Nations, the private sector and governments of other countries. GIZ works with businesses, civil society actors and research institutions, fostering successful interaction between development policy and other policy fields and areas of activity. GIZ’s main commissioning party is the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.