Too often, women’s sport does not get the publicity it deserves. This is unfortunate, because in addition to being immensely entertaining in its own right, women’s sport has enefits that accrue across society. Sports competition among women can help them “achieve a healthy body and a healthy mind, which will help them in their journey of empowerment”.
That was a quote from Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak in a speech delivered by Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak at an interntional sports conference in Abu Dhabi last year, in which she called for greater take-up of sports among women.
Part of that journey of empowerment can be seen today in Jordan, where the Fifa Under-17 Women’s World Cup is being held for the first time in the Middle East. (In 2013, the men’s U-17 was held in the UAE, where women’s football is making inroads.) As hosts, Jordan will be the only Arab team competing and that alone is an important step forward, an important symbol within the country and without. Of the 21 Jordanian players, some are devout Muslims who play in head coverings. Some of the players have spoken of defying social convention among more conservative parts of Jordanian society against women playing sport. One said it used to be “frowned upon to see a girl play football”.
But that is changing, helped by moves from Jordanian leaders to form a national female team, and the tournament is an opportunity for wider society to celebrate the team’s performances together. Indeed, the organisers have been explicit in seeing the tournament, and women’s football generally, as a “platform for social change”. The more spectators in the Middle East and around the world see women playing sports, and see the beauty and skill of the game, the more likely preconceived ideas will begin to melt away.
The same, of course, applies beyond Jordan, which, while blessed with substantial tourist attractions, has struggled to overcome a perception of risk, especially with the Syrian civil war next door. Women’s football may help to give Jordanians and outsiders a new way of looking at the country.