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Sport should not be a matter of life and death - but it is for Afghan female athletes
The Equality League’s #OpenDoorsToHumanity online campaign is from February 2 through 9. (Photo by Equality League)
NEW YORK, January 28, 2022 - Since the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan, they have restricted women's and girls' access to secondary education, employment, travel and sport.
Afghan female athletes are highly vulnerable to gender-based retaliation ---- violence and murder. To conceal their athlete identities, many burned their sports jerseys and certificates, buried their trophies and medals, deactivated their social media accounts and went into hiding.
For six months, Equality League's small volunteer team has worked to safeguard these Afghan female athletes --- including a partnership with FIFA to evacuate 29 members of the national women's basketball team. These athletes left their homes, families, friends, jobs and country with only two suitcases and a Canadian visa.
They are now stranded in Albania because Canada refuses to honor the visas. Many were the breadwinners of their families who are now starving during this harsh winter. It is inhumane to ignore their physical and emotional trauma.
No additional evacuations can occur for the many, many more high-risk Afghan female athletes unless we can secure resettlement countries.
Campaign Goals
The #OpenDoorsToHumanity campaign amplifies the harm and suffering faced by Afghan female athletes stranded both inside and outside of Afghanistan. Through increased awareness, understanding and collective action among female athletes and their allies, we call on athletes, teams, institutions, and corporations to encourage countries hosting mega-sporting events to open their borders so that Afghan athletes may rebuild their lives, resume their educations, safely play sport and pursue employment to support loved ones left behind.
Host countries of the Olympics, World Cup and Commonwealth Games include Canada, USA, Mexico, France, UK, Australia and New Zealand. Of course, we encourage all countries to welcome Afghans.
We are counting on the basketball and wider sports communities to help us safeguard Afghan athletes' lives and livelihoods!
Here’s How You Can Help between February 2 and 9
1. Amplify on Social Media – Help us spread the word on social media between February 2 and 9 by sharing @equalityleagues twitter and IG posts AND by posting your own photos and videos opening doors! Use hashtags #opendoorstohumanity #supportafghanathletes.
Click here to access the campaign toolkit, including the examples shown above.
2. Tag Equality League and Our Targets - Help us get the attention of our targets by tagging
@equalityleagues twitter and mega-sporting event host countries #Canada #USA #Mexico #France #UK #Australia #New Zealand. If you have direct connections to country leaders such as @JustinTrudeau, please contact us through assistant@eqleague.org
3. Donate and drop the link into social media and email messages to your community. Every dollar helps Support Afghan Athletes and to amplify this campaign.
Donate here or Text AFGHANATHLETES to 44-321.
4. Visit Our Campaign Page for our toolkit, sample videos and images, more info, media coverage and upcoming activations!
Afghan female athletes are highly vulnerable to gender-based retaliation ---- violence and murder. To conceal their athlete identities, many burned their sports jerseys and certificates, buried their trophies and medals, deactivated their social media accounts and went into hiding.
For six months, Equality League's small volunteer team has worked to safeguard these Afghan female athletes --- including a partnership with FIFA to evacuate 29 members of the national women's basketball team. These athletes left their homes, families, friends, jobs and country with only two suitcases and a Canadian visa.
They are now stranded in Albania because Canada refuses to honor the visas. Many were the breadwinners of their families who are now starving during this harsh winter. It is inhumane to ignore their physical and emotional trauma.
No additional evacuations can occur for the many, many more high-risk Afghan female athletes unless we can secure resettlement countries.
Campaign Goals
The #OpenDoorsToHumanity campaign amplifies the harm and suffering faced by Afghan female athletes stranded both inside and outside of Afghanistan. Through increased awareness, understanding and collective action among female athletes and their allies, we call on athletes, teams, institutions, and corporations to encourage countries hosting mega-sporting events to open their borders so that Afghan athletes may rebuild their lives, resume their educations, safely play sport and pursue employment to support loved ones left behind.
Host countries of the Olympics, World Cup and Commonwealth Games include Canada, USA, Mexico, France, UK, Australia and New Zealand. Of course, we encourage all countries to welcome Afghans.
We are counting on the basketball and wider sports communities to help us safeguard Afghan athletes' lives and livelihoods!
Here’s How You Can Help between February 2 and 9
1. Amplify on Social Media – Help us spread the word on social media between February 2 and 9 by sharing @equalityleagues twitter and IG posts AND by posting your own photos and videos opening doors! Use hashtags #opendoorstohumanity #supportafghanathletes.
Click here to access the campaign toolkit, including the examples shown above.
2. Tag Equality League and Our Targets - Help us get the attention of our targets by tagging
@equalityleagues twitter and mega-sporting event host countries #Canada #USA #Mexico #France #UK #Australia #New Zealand. If you have direct connections to country leaders such as @JustinTrudeau, please contact us through assistant@eqleague.org
3. Donate and drop the link into social media and email messages to your community. Every dollar helps Support Afghan Athletes and to amplify this campaign.
Donate here or Text AFGHANATHLETES to 44-321.
4. Visit Our Campaign Page for our toolkit, sample videos and images, more info, media coverage and upcoming activations!
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