"For your Smile"- a friendly football match to end violence against women and girls

Quynh Hoa -

Friday, December 4, 2015 | 15:42:30

(VOVworld) - A message on gender equality to end violence against women was delivered through a friendly football match called “For your smile” which took place last Friday at Hang Day Stadium in Hanoi. The football match was co-organized by the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) and the Vietnam Volunteer Center (VVC).

Violence against women is a significant issue in Vietnam. According to the 2010 National Study on Domestic Violence Against Women in Viet Nam, one in three women nationwide who have ever been married report that they have suffered physical or sexual violence from their husband at some time in their life. Prevention was the 2015 theme of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women on 25 November. From 25 November through 10 December, the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence campaign attempted to raise public awareness and mobilize people everywhere to bring about change. In response to the campaign, in Vietnam the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) and the Vietnam Volunteer Center (VVC) organized a football match called “For your smile”.

The United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) and the Vietnam Volunteer Center (VVC) organized a football match called “For your smile”.

According to Ms. Shoko Ishikawa, head representative of UN Women in Vietnam, sports creates excitement and through football- the favorite sport in Vietnam - women can learns many things and feel more powerful themselves. She said: "I think sports is important, particularly for girls who to try to engage with. I think it builds a lot of self-confidence. Just being out there, I would actually feel quite powerful myself, and being part of a team and playing together as a team, I think it’s a very good way of learning about how to work together with other people."

Ms. Shoko Ishikawa, head representative of UN Women in Vietnam. (Photo: doanthanhnien.vn)

The football match took place between a team of students from the Hanoi University of Transport and Communications and a team made up of well-known Vietnamese celebrities, professional football players, and representatives of foreign organizations working in Vietnam. Both teams were of mixed gender.

(Photo: doanthanhnien.vn)

Both teams were of mixed gender. (Photo: doanthanhnien.vn)

Among the 3,000 spectators were high-ranking officials of the Vietnamese government, celebrities, and students of the University of Transport and Communications. Victoria Kwakwa, World Bank Country Director for Vietnam, was among the players. She called the football match a very meaningful event which shows that addressing gender-based violence is the responsibility of everybody: "You know, sports unites people, different people can come together through sports. So the significance is using sports to unify and using sports to raise awareness of the issues around gender-based violence and using sports as advocacy around the gender-based violence issue. You, me, all of us who gonna playing on the pitch as well as the government and people at level of household. Everybody has the responsibility to play on this."

Another player was Vietnamese singer Hoang Bach, who is the ambassador for another gender equality campaign called “HeforShe- For women around us”. He said: "As a celebrity, I really wish that all of my activities would bring about impact on society, especially on people of my age, and young people who are at the age of marriage, as well as on their children. I want to change people’s mindset by participating in social forums where I can persuade people to support gender equality."

Female football player Minh Nguyet was signing on the ball, prior to the match. (Photo: doanthanhnien.vn)

According to Kim Ly, a famous overseas Vietnamese actor, one should learn equality from their family when they are small, then, from society when they grow up. If child is born into a family where the mother and father are equal, it’s unlikely that the child will become a victim or perpetrator of domestic violence. Ly said: "I was raised by both my mom and dad and I’m very close to them and I was raised with very good values. In term of you know, it’s both spouses’ responsibility to take care of the household and take care of the family. It’s almost like a company the whole family: both mom and dad take care of the kid, it’s a big function. My mom always helped me and my dad always helped me and gave me the right values in terms of cooking and cleaning."

(Photo: doanthanhnien.vn)

The football match entertained both the players and the fans. Truong Thi Thu Hang is a female student at the University of Transport and Communications. She said: "I’m very excited to have participated in this event. This is such a meaningful activity to raise awareness of the whole society on the issue of gender equality. As a female student, I feel that I am equal to male students in terms of physical aspect, opportunity to access knowledge and to contribute to society."

Fans who are students. (Photo: doanthanhnien.vn)

Female football player Minh Nguyet said: "Football is considered a sport for men. I myself feel proud of being a football player who plays for the national team. Through this event, I would want to say that all of us, given being male or female, all have equal values."

Other activities, including a Cartoon Competition entitled “Gender Equality: Picture it!”, were organized last week in response to the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender- Based Violence campaign.