Krishnapur Municipality, Kanchanpur — 13 September 2026 – Saathi, in continued partnership with the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA), organized a Girls’ Football Tournament in Krishnapur Municipality, Kanchanpur, creating a platform for girls to showcase their confidence, skills, and leadership while challenging the gender stereotypes that often limit their participation in sports and public life.
The tournament brought together four girls’ teams, who competed through a penalty shootout, displaying teamwork, determination, and sportsmanship in front of an audience of around 300 spectators. Beyond the competition itself, the event became a platform for community mobilization against sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), with IEC (Information, Education and Communication) materials on SGBV prevention displayed throughout the venue for spectators and participants alike.
Football players themselves played a central role in carrying this message forward. By taking part in a tournament that visibly champions girls’ rights and equal opportunity, the players demonstrated their own commitment to combating SGBV, using their visibility and standing in the community to reinforce the message that violence and discrimination against girls and women have no place in sport or society.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, Arjun Saud, Ward Chairperson of Ward No. 2, Krishnapur Municipality, said that engaging girls in sports helps build their confidence, leadership, and capacity. He added that tournaments of this kind send a powerful message that girls are equally capable and can stand against gender discrimination and stereotypes.
By using a district-level football tournament as a platform for both athletic competition and awareness-raising, the event illustrated how sports can serve as an effective entry point for social norm change — reaching large audiences with messages on gender equality and SGBV prevention in a setting that is engaging, accessible, and community-driven. It reaffirmed that when girls are given the opportunity and a supportive space, they can confidently demonstrate their abilities, challenge harmful stereotypes, and help build a more equal and inclusive society.
This activity was organized under the Generating Ownership Awareness & Liberation (GOAL) Project, supported by Aide à l’Enfance de l’Inde et du Népal (AEIN).
