24. August 2026 – SCORING GIRLS* IRAQ
WHY FAMILY SUPPORT MATTERS: FAMILY AWARENESS SESSIONS BY SCORING GIRLS* IRAQ
Across the world, women and girls continue to face barriers that limit their opportunities, participation, and equal rights. In this context, parental support and involvement are crucial for girls’ long-term participation in the SCORING GIRLS* project.
In many communities, girls’ participation in sports can be influenced by social expectations and family perceptions. Engaging parents is therefore an essential part of creating a supportive environment in which girls can participate and benefit from sports. To facilitate this, we conducted eleven Family Awareness Sessions, with more than 100 SCORING GIRLS* family members participating. The sessions provided opportunities for open discussions on topics such as equality, the benefits of sports, communication skills, healthy boundaries, and practical ways families can support their daughters.
At SCORING GIRLS* Iraq we create secure and trusting environments through soccer as well as pedagogical and psychosocial support. Thus, girls gain access to sports activities – which in Iraq otherwise often remains limited – build self-confidence, strengthen social skills, and develop new perspectives for their future. Over the past year, we have expanded the SCORING GIRLS* project and adapted it to the needs of the community on the ground. The new phase includes, among other things, workshops that strengthen physical health, self-confidence, and resilience, and actively involves the girls’ families in the project.
Many of the SCORING GIRLS* in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq have experienced displacement and violence, including survivors of the 2014 genocide against the Yazidis committed by the so-called Islamic State (IS). Even girls born after 2014 are shaped by their families’ experiences of the genocide. To this day, many live in displacement camps because their ancestral homeland remains destroyed. Growing up in these precarious conditions often entails limited access to education, healthcare, and social participation.
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Through interactive group discussions, shared experiences, practical examples, and reflection exercises, the Family Awareness Sessions encouraged dialogue, challenged gender stereotypes, strengthened parent-child relationships, and contributed to a more supportive environment in which girls can participate in sports. Parents were also invited to attend training sessions to meet the coaches and project staff and witness the benefit of sports for their daughters. Over time, the sessions have contributed to greater understanding and acceptance among families, with many parents recognizing the positive impact of sports on their daughters’ physical and mental well-being, confidence, and social development. As families become more supportive of girls’ participation, these changes can extend beyond the household and the local community, in the end contributing to broader shifts in societal attitudes. In this way, Family Awareness Sessions help promote greater acceptance of girls’ participation in public life.
Throughout, participants emphasized the importance of communication and trust. Building these relationships with parents is a key part of our work, as their support and confidence in our team are essential for their daughters’ participation in the project.
Thank you to SPACE and BILD hilft e.V. „Ein Herz für Kinder” for supporting the SCORING GIRLS* Iraq.
SCORING GIRLS* Iraq was implemented as part of SPACE. SPACE is funded by the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany and supported by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH.
