Blueprint for mentorship

Best Practice

Training Course

Research Study

By creating a series of 10 best practices from across the globe, Organisation Earth highlighted the important role of sports in bridging communities, enhancing gender equality, and providing refugee women with platforms for empowerment and integration.  

Among these practices, the first was “Free to Run”, operating in Iraq and Afghanistan to provide women access to outdoor sports, fostering leadership, and challenging societal norms. 

 Similarly, in South-eastern Europe, Hestia FC, the first refugee and migrant women football team, utilized football to promote social integration in Greece. 

 Germany’s Champions ohne Grenzen e.V. (Champions Without Borders) further exemplified how sports can create welcoming cultures for refugees, focusing on female empowerment and inclusion.  

In Ecuador, the FUDELA initiative took a holistic approach to leveraging sports for strengthening community bonds and mental health among vulnerable youth, with a significant focus on refugee women. Denmark’s GAME organisation engaged refugee and migrant women through street sports, promoting social inclusion and volunteerism.   

The AGF-Aarhus Girls Project in Denmark underlined the positive impact of football on young girls, including those from refugee backgrounds, promoting equality and community cohesion. 

Associació Esportiva Ramassà in Spain integrated asylum-seeking and refugee women through football, offering sports and academic training alongside job inclusion.  

Costa Rica’s Fundación GOLEES also used football to address gender inequalities and empower women in vulnerable communities. Italy’s “Women on Bikes” project teaches refugee women to ride bicycles, enhancing their mobility and promoting independence, while the “Swimming Pool for Women” project by Torino UISP Local Committee provided a safe space for refugee and migrant women to learn swimming, considering cultural and religious sensitivities. These initiatives collectively illustrated the multifaceted benefits of sports for social integration, empowerment, and driving positive change in communities around the world. 

REWINS 2.0, ( REfugee Women INclusion through Sports) is a project dedicated to fostering the inclusion of refugee women in various sports disciplines. By creating sport teams composed of both refugee women and locals, and offering tailored mentoring programs for coaches, the project not only aims to integrate refugee women into the community but also to break down cultural barriers and promote gender equality in sports. 

The project is a part of the “Preparatory Action – Sport as a tool for integration and social inclusion of refugees” call and is implemented in cooperation with Organisation Earth (Greece), Girl Power Organisation (Denmark), Unione Italiana Sport de Tutti – UISP (Italy), and AE Ramassà (Spain). Each organisation brings its unique expertise to the table, ensuring the project’s comprehensive approach and wide-reaching impact. 

At the heart of REWINS 2.0 lies a comprehensive research study conducted by Organisation Earth, focusing on the perceptions, barriers, needs, and interests of refugee women in sports. The study, which surveyed 201 refugee/migrant women aged 16-49 from various nationalities, offers invaluable insights into the challenges and aspirations of these women in the context of sports participation. 

The Research study highlighted a compelling interest in sports, with over 70% of participants showcasing a keen enthusiasm that transcends cultural and national divides, underlining the universal appeal of sports as a means of unity and empowerment. Among the sports, soccer, swimming, volleyball, and basketball were identified as the favourites, emphasising the important role of team sports in promoting community spirit and integration. Despite the high interest, barriers such as insufficient information, childcare needs, and financial constraints limited participation. However, cultural, and religious obstacles, contrary to widespread beliefs, appear less daunting, indicating a shift in perceptions and a challenging of stereotypes. Moreover, the study noted a remarkable improvement in language proficiency among the respondents, signifying not only better adaptation to host societies but also emphasising the importance of language in facilitating not just everyday interactions but also participation in sports and social life. On the gender section, the data showed a clear trend with nearly equal preference for engaging in sports within mixed-gender or all-female groups, reflecting changing attitudes and a growing confidence among refugee women towards inclusivity and openness in sports activities.  

The findings of the research highlight the importance of creating accessible and inclusive sports programs that cater to the unique needs of refugee women. By addressing practical and financial barriers and fostering an environment of open dialogue between sport organisations and refugee communities, REWINS 2.0 aims to enhance social inclusion, empower individual participants, and build bridges between diverse cultural backgrounds. 

Sport is more than just a physical activity; it is a universal language that has the power to bring unity. Through projects like REWINS 2.0, we are reminded of the potential of sports to transform lives and communities, making a lasting impact on the lives of refugee women and beyond.