South Sudan’s football association sets out plans to develop women football
The South Sudan Football Association (SSFA) has promised to develop women football in line with the 35 percent affirmative action stipulated in the revitalized peace deal.
Augustino Maduok, the President of SSFA said on Tuesday, while receiving sport facility for women football team Bright Starlet at Buluk playground.
“As SSFA, we have opened up we have our daughters and we always encouraged them to come to the pitch, we are lucky we have the support of the government and we will continue to develop women football,” Maduok said.
Ademola Olajide, the country representative for United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), said the society can progress when opportunity is provided equal opportunity.
“There is no way as society, we can make tangible progress if we do not provide equal opportunity for men and women to contribute, we need to also provide opportunity for girls to prepare equally as the boys,” Olajide said.
“When society hold down girl child, society itself cannot make progress, sport is powerful unifying platform, it can leverage for change,” he added.
Marjan Schippers, the Ambassador of Netherlands in South Sudan, said that women and girls participate and benefit from sports.
“In South Sudan, legal framework is in place for men and women to be equal, we have the Child Act of 2008 and interim constitution mandates for equal rights including participation of men and women, we want equal opportunity for our daughters to play sports so that they also can derive mental, physical, and social benefit of sports,” Schippers said. “The quality of our children’s lives will be dependent on both parents contribution, our daughters cannot be less prepared than our sons, sports initiative will enable us to produce future sport legends and help us discover young talents,” s
