Reclaim Childhood, based in Amman, runs a sports program called “Goals for Girls”. Its located in cities and towns in Jordan with significant Iraqi and Syrian refugee populations. They recruit young women and girls, ages 8 to 18, from these refugee communities to play with young women and girls from the local communities in Jordan. Their goal is to empower Iraqi and Syrian young refugee women and girls. To do so, they foster engagement and critical life skills through sports. Reclaim Childhood has affected the lives of more than 800 young women and girls since 2008. Engagement in sports offers these young women and girls the unique opportunity to foster critical life skills. Such as the ability to work in teams and approach challenges with courage and confidence.
Targeting Women In Sports
Young women and girls living in the Middle East have few opportunities to play sports. Reclaim Childhood targets those who need it most: Iraqi and Syrian refugees. Given limited resources, fun and education are rarities in the lives of Iraqi and Syrian refugees. Reclaim Childhood gives girls the opportunity to see themselves as real competitors – on and off the field.
Over 800 refugee girls have participated in Reclaim Childhoods’ team sports activities of football, volleyball and basketball. In these activities children from refugee communities team up with local female children. Studies have shown sports are invaluable in fostering critical life skills. These include the ability to work in teams, and approach challenges with courage and confidence. The program helps participants develop these skills, and an opportunity to use them to better their own lives and the lives of others. Committed to developing a path toward the future for its beneficiaries, Reclaim Childhood is initiating partnerships to facilitate educational and career opportunities for Iraqi refugee girls and women.
Building Community Among Refugees
Reclaim Childhood’s sports activities offer an additional benefit. They create opportunities for cross-community engagement between refugee and host Jordanian communities. Reclaim Childhood aims to counter the negative effects of mass media. Often, the media highlights differences between communities and creates political conflict instead of humanitarian harmony. Sports are a universal language. This makes them an effective way to bring together different communities. Through sports, people can discover their similarities and build opportunities for engagement.
Impact of Sports Off the Field
Reclaim Childhood believes that “sport has the power to instill confidence, hope and ambition in its participants. Team oriented games at all levels provide the psychosocial support necessary to improve self-esteem, strengthen peer relationships and foster leadership. Recent studies show that girls who participate in sports are more likely to participate in society and achieve success off playing field.” This tactic example is from Jordan, but using sports to foster engagement and critical life skills can be applied to a wide range of contexts and target populations
Reclaim Childhood’s “Goals for Girls” program in Jordan teaches us the value of using sports to empower young women and girls, especially refugees. By bringing together Iraqi and Syrian refugee girls with local Jordanian girls, the program fosters teamwork and critical life skills. Participants learn to approach challenges with confidence, which can help them in all areas of life. This tactic can be applied in other contexts, such as supporting marginalized youth in various countries. Sports can break down barriers and build connections, helping different communities understand each other better. Overall, using sports as a tool for engagement can lead to personal growth and community harmony.
New Tactics in Human Rights does not advocate for or endorse specific tactics, policies or issues.
