UN Women scores goals for gender equality at the FIFA Women’s World Cup

This month the world of football is looking to France, where the top 24 teams compete in the FIFA Women’s World Cup. UN Women attended the opening match in Paris and joined FIFA’s Global Women’s Football Convention on 7 June. The Convention, led by FIFA President Gianni Infantino and Secretary-General Fatma Samoura, brought together leaders from the sport industry and politics to discuss the future of women’s football and the positive impact of sport on empowering women and girls around the world.

Resounding among many speakers, from the President of Ethiopia, the Premier Minister of Barbados and the Vice President of Colombia to FIFA legend Mia Hamm, was a call for increased investment in the women’s game, the biggest potential for growth in football.

Gianni Infantino, FIFA President and Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Executive Director of UN Women sign a Memorandum of Understanding during the FIFA Women's Football Convention at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles on June 07, 2019 in Paris, France. Photo: Mike Hewitt - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images

At the Convention, UN Women and FIFA signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to work together to change policies, raise awareness on gender equality, and use football as a tool to empower women and girls worldwide.

“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,” said UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka. “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,” she added.

Following the Convention, the Executive Director joined FIFA President Gianni Infantino, Secretary-General Fatma Samoura, host-country President Emmanuel Macron and other Heads of State and Government at the opening match of France vs. South Korea.