In commemoration of International Women’s Day, Global Impact Transformation (GIT) engaged the Mtwara Queens Women’s Football Team in a dialogue focused on strengthening leadership among women athletes, promoting safe spaces in sports environments, and advancing awareness on the prevention of gender-based violence, including Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV). The engagement created a platform where women football players could reflect on their experiences in sports, discuss challenges affecting women athletes, and explore the role of sports as a powerful pathway for empowerment, leadership development, and social change. Sports continue to play an increasingly important role in advancing women’s empowerment globally. For many women and girls, participation in sports helps build confidence, resilience, teamwork, and leadership skills. However, women athletes often face structural barriers that limit their participation and safety in sports environments, including discrimination, harassment, gender stereotypes, and violence in both physical and digital spaces. Recognizing these realities, Global Impact Transformation has been consistently engaging women’s football teams across communities as part of its ongoing efforts to promote women’s leadership, strengthen safe sports environments, and address gender-based violence affecting women and girls. The engagement with the Mtwara Queens Football Team builds on these continued efforts to create platforms where women athletes can lead conversations that shape safer and more inclusive sports spaces.

Addressing Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence in Sports

By Communication team

The dialogue with the Mtwara Queens Football Team created a safe and interactive space where women players could openly share their perspectives on participation in sports and discuss the importance of strengthening environments that support women athletes. Participants reflected on the transformative role sports can play in empowering women and girls. For many women players, football is not only a sport but also a platform where they build confidence, develop teamwork, and strengthen solidarity with other women. At the same time, participants acknowledged that women athletes often face challenges that undermine their participation and wellbeing. These include harassment, discrimination, and various forms of gender-based violence that can occur both within sports environments and through digital platforms.

The dialogue therefore explored ways to promote safer and more inclusive sports spaces where women athletes feel respected, protected, and empowered to pursue their ambitions.

Participants discussed practical approaches for strengthening safe spaces, these conversations highlighted the importance of collective action in ensuring that sports environments remain spaces where women can grow, lead, and inspire others. An important component of the dialogue focused on Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV), an emerging challenge that increasingly affects women athletes and women in public spaces. With the growth of social media and digital platforms, women athletes often face online harassment, cyberbullying, and abusive comments related to their participation in sports. These forms of digital violence can discourage women from participating in sports, limit their visibility, and undermine their confidence. Through the engagement, participants discussed the importance of recognizing TFGBV and strengthening strategies to protect women athletes from online abuse. The discussion emphasized the need to promote digital safety, responsible online engagement, and collective support systems that empower women athletes to respond to and challenge online harassment. By addressing both offline and online forms of violence, the dialogue reinforced the importance of protecting women athletes across all spaces where they participate and express their voices.

Sports provide powerful opportunities for women and girls to develop leadership skills, resilience, and confidence. When women athletes are supported in safe and inclusive environments, sports can become platforms where women strengthen their voices and influence within their communities. Through its continued engagement with women football teams, Global Impact Transformation is supporting women athletes to see themselves not only as players but also as leaders, role models, and advocates for equality. By strengthening leadership among women athletes, GIT aims to contribute to a broader movement that advances gender equality through sports.

Participants shared reflections on how sports have shaped their confidence and aspirations as women.

“Football gives us strength and confidence as women. When we support each other and speak openly about the challenges we face, we become stronger not only as players but also as leaders in our communities,” said one of the Mtwara Queens Football Team members.

For many participants, the engagement reinforced the importance of solidarity among women athletes and the value of safe platforms where women can discuss their experiences and build confidence together.

The engagement with the Mtwara Queens Football Team reflects Global Impact Transformation’s continued commitment to engaging women’s football teams as platforms for advancing women’s empowerment, leadership, and safety in sports environments. By working directly with women athletes, GIT aims to strengthen networks of women leaders who can influence positive development within sports and communities.These engagements are part of broader efforts to promote sports environments that are grounded in respect, dignity, and equality, ensuring that women and girls can participate fully and confidently without fear of discrimination or violence.

Call for Partnerships to Scale Women’s Empowerment Through Sports 

Global Impact Transformation invites sports institutions, development partners, civil society organizations, and private sector actors to collaborate in expanding initiatives that engage women  and girls athletes as leaders and advocates for gender equality. Scaling programs that support women in sports can help strengthen leadership opportunities for women and girls athletes, promote safe spaces in sports environments, and contribute to ending gender-based violence, including Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence.    

By working together, partners can help ensure that sports become powerful platforms where women and girls build confidence, strengthen leadership, and shape more inclusive communities.

For partnership opportunities and collaboration, please contact:
info@globalimpacttransformation.org