UNAMA, August 3, 2006

UN Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan Ameerah Haq on 3rd August presented a trophy to the winners of the Kabul Girls Football Competition, a milestone event for young women in Afghanistan’s capital.

“Sports provide children of all ages, boys and girls, with opportunities to express themselves and to become agents for change,” she stated following the match, held at the Ministry of Defence Sports Field.

“Today’s competition would have been unthinkable just five years ago, when girls were not even allowed to attend school. Hopefully, their participation in events such as this one will inspire young girls to pursue their dreams, in whatever fields interest them.”

Kabul boasts 15 girls football teams, consisting of young women from the ages of 13 to 20, who compete under the auspices of the Afghanistan Football Federation. The Maiwand team was crowned the winner today after defeating the Payam team, 1-0.

"Through this game, my message to the world is that we, Afghan women are capable to contribute to the reconstruction and development of our beloved homeland as other women of the world,” said Uzra, a member of the winning team, Maiwand.

Fatana, another female football player, added, "Today I feel that I am the luckiest girl to be part of this. We did not have the right even to acquire knowledge under the Taliban and now we take part in all social activities."

All of the participants in today’s competition were presented with footballs made especially for the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) by disabled Afghans and paid for from staff donations. Over 1,000 footballs will be delivered to schools, orphanages and prisons across Afghanistan.

Click here for the press release in Dari.