Pushing for equitable, accessible opportunities

Assmaah is the Chief Operating Officer at Football United and Creating Chances. She has been involved in many festivals, the first being the Football for Hope Festival in South Africa during the 2010 Men’s World Cup. Assmaah’s role as a Young Leader involved facilitating the targeted football games which taught the players about equality, fairness, and resilience. Additionally, Assmaah conducted a women’s leadership program at Festival19, which was centred around building confidence, establishing a network, managing conflict, and providing the participants with the skills to advocate for issues in their societies.

Assmaah recalls the power of football at both of these festivals as, “it dispels stereotypes, it connects you to people you thought you’d never meet, and it allows you to connect with others to know more about yourself.”

Assmaah believes that understanding is key in promoting unity and respect. The idea of establishing an open dialogue is crucial for Assmaah as it exposes people to difference and diversity, which initiates inclusion.

A standout moment in Assmaah’s time within gender equity advocacy in football, and in sport for women, occurred in 2007 when FIFA introduced the hijab ban. This ban effected young women in Canada from competing whilst wearing a hijab. Assmaah remembers feeling a call to dispel the assumption that wearing the hijab was hazardous, with no evidence of it being so. With the help of a few other key football contacts at the time, Assmaah spoke out against the ban in a year-long campaign. In 2017, the ban was lifted.

Assmaah has continued her commitment to “pushing for equitable, accessible opportunities for girls and women from all backgrounds to access the game.” She hopes to equip people with the tools, the skills, and the confidence to maximise the work Football United and Creating Chances do in the ‘Football for Good’ space. She believes her mission is to create the processes, the platforms, and the opportunities for people to benefit their community.”

Going forward, change in the funding landscape for organisations in the ‘Sport for Good’ area is necessary, according to Assmaah, as the support for these programs needs to continue to ensure growth.