Geneva – Al-Raya:
The Permanent Delegation of the State of Qatar to the United Nations Office in Geneva, in cooperation with the Qatar Foundation and Qatar Sports Investments, yesterday organized a high-level event on “Empowering Women and Girls in and Through Sports – From Words to Actions,” on the sidelines of the sixty-second session of the Human Rights Council, held in Geneva.
The event was attended by participants representing diplomatic missions, relevant international and regional organizations, and civil society organizations interested in sports, human rights, peace and development.
In her keynote speech during the event, Her Excellency Sheikha Hind bint Hamad Al Thani, Vice Chair of the Board of Directors of the Qatar Foundation, stressed that the State of Qatar was a pioneer in recognizing sport as a basic human right and a tool for empowering women and girls around the world, a trend that preceded Human Rights Council Resolution 59/17, which reinforced this principle. She said: The world is witnessing a remarkable growth in investment in sports spaces and opportunities dedicated to women, with a growing growth in participation, an increase in funding, and a rise in societal awareness.
She added: However, praise for this progress remains incomplete and without credibility, as in conjunction with these developments, we are witnessing a disturbing reality represented by the high rate of injuries resulting from sports among girls, in addition to the increasing rates of them dropping out of sports during adolescence, which is a repeated pattern around the world.
Her Excellency Sheikha Hind bint Hamad warned against providing sports spaces designated for women without taking into account their needs, and explained that this leads to injuries that could have been avoided, ends women’s sporting careers prematurely, and most importantly, ignores their physiological characteristics. Her Excellency also explained how Qatar is leading this transformation that will benefit societies in various countries of the world, by involving women in designing facilities, providing training programs for them, and supporting research that paves the way for establishing a scientific database concerned with women’s sports.
Her Excellency said: Our vision for Resolution 17/59 reflects the need for change that goes beyond equality. We aspire to bring about a transformation that allows the establishment of sports programs and spaces, among others, all of which are designed under the leadership of women and based on science concerned with studying their needs. She continued: Opportunities to practice sports must be available freely, equally, safely and passionately to all girls anywhere in the world, and the State of Qatar is responding to this call by directing its partnerships and efforts in international cooperation towards developing practical programs that expand the opportunities available to women and girls at the international level. Her Excellency concluded: We seek to build systems and spaces dedicated to women, based on scientific research concerned with women, and rely on insights from women themselves, in a way that enhances every girl’s confidence in her strength and abilities that are worth investing in.
In a recorded speech via video, His Excellency Mr. Nasser Al-Khelaifi, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Qatar Sports Investments and President of Paris Saint-Germain, addressed the importance of sport in shaping individuals’ lives, breaking down barriers and changing them for the better, stressing that every girl has the right to practice sports, and stressing the importance of enhancing the presence of women in leadership positions in the sports business sector. He also reviewed the efforts made by Qatar Sports Investments, Paris Saint-Germain and the Premier Paddle Championship to support women and girls and achieve equal opportunities, praising the efforts of the Permanent Delegation of the State of Qatar to the United Nations Office in Geneva in this field, especially its role in submitting Human Rights Council Resolution 59/17 on “Empowering Women and Girls in and Through Sports,” stressing the great efforts made by the State of Qatar and the Qatar Foundation to support women and girls and enhance opportunities for sports. Empowering them.
In her speech, Her Excellency Dr. Hind Abdul Rahman Al-Muftah, Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations Office in Geneva, focused in her speech on the importance of building on the success achieved by Human Rights Council Resolution No. 59/17 on the empowerment of women and girls in and through sports, which was unanimously adopted at the initiative of the State of Qatar in July 2025 in partnership with Indonesia and Morocco, and translating international commitments into practical steps that enhance the empowerment of women and girls through sports, stressing Harnessing the transformative power of sport to empower women and girls requires promoting their active participation, equal opportunities, supporting women’s leadership, and providing safe, violence-free sporting environments.
Keynote speeches were also delivered by HE Ms. Tatiana Valovaya, Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva, HE Mr. Gilbert Hongbo, Director-General of the International Labor Organization, HE Ms. Awa Dabo, Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, and Mr. Andreas Zagklis, Secretary-General of FIBA.
The event included a panel discussion in which Ms. Caroline Guinetto, General Counsel of beIN Media, Ms. Maria Texidor, Executive Director of the International Padel Players Association, Mr. Massimiliano Montanari, CEO of the International Center for Sports Security, Ms. Sonia Haziraj, Technical Director of the Paris Saint-Germain Women’s Academy, and Ms. Sabrina Delanoe, Deputy Director of Sports Programs of the Paris Saint-Germain Women’s Academy, participated in the event, while the panel discussion was chaired by Dr. Anisa. Bilal, Executive Director of the Geneva Peacebuilding Platform.
The event is of particular importance as it comes within the framework of following up on the implementation of Human Rights Council Resolution No. 59/17 on “Empowering Women and Girls in and Through Sports,” and brings together UN and international officials, decision-makers and leaders from the sports sector to discuss ways to translate the commitments and pledges contained in the resolution into practical actions and initiatives that enhance the empowerment of women and girls and their full and meaningful participation in sports at all levels.
The event highlights the growing role of sport in promoting gender equality, building more inclusive societies, and supporting international efforts to protect the rights of women and girls and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
The event witnessed the announcement of an international initiative, namely the launch of the “Empowering Women and Girls in Sports” award, sponsored by the Permanent Delegation of the State of Qatar to the United Nations Office in Geneva and Qatar Sports Investments, as part of the efforts aimed at promoting equality and empowering women and girls through sports, and highlighting pioneering initiatives and practices that contribute to supporting their participation and leadership in the sports field at all levels. Following the conclusion of the event, Her Excellency Dr. Hind Abdulrahman Al-Muftah, Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations Office in Geneva, opened a photo exhibition on the empowerment of women and girls in sports, highlighting the pivotal role of sport in enhancing the participation and empowerment of women and girls. The exhibition included a group of photos made available by Qatar Sports Investments, Qatar Foundation and beIN Media, highlighting the achievements of women and girls in the sports field, and stressing the importance of providing a supportive environment that ensures equal opportunities. It enables them to achieve success in various sporting activities.
