"Making equality a reality" marked the third annual conference of FIFA against discrimination in Zurich, where the president, Gianni Infantino, reviewed the measures taken in this regard during his twelve months in office and those planned from now on.
"The statutory reforms approved in February 2016 brought concrete changes such as the women's quota on the FIFA Council. The presence of women in both committees and administration has been increased to an unprecedented level. The ultimate goal is simple: to ensure that football can have the right people in the right positions regardless of their gender or background," said Infantino.
The president inaugurated the session in which representatives from various sectors of society intervened and discussed the initiatives developed by football and its administration, despite mostly agreeing that many steps are still needed to reduce the gap between men and women.
"Diversity is the only path to advance towards equality. Not only because it is morally right, but also because there is wealth in it. The group of people present at this conference today is a solid example of this. It is a beautiful representation of what the whole world can be and what football can and should represent. And that is why we do not need words, but actions," said Fatma Samoura, Senegalese Secretary General of FIFA.
Among those present at the event were former Dutch international Clarence Seedorf, current ambassador of FIFA, chief officials Joyce Cook, representing member associations, and Sarai Bareman, on behalf of women's football, as well as former captain of the Afghanistan national team Khalida Popal.
"I started playing football for fun until the day I heard insults because women should not do it. They took our ball and destroyed it. From that day on, I started playing to change the situation of women in Afghanistan," explained Khalida Popal, 29, who has received death threats and has had to leave her country several times because of it, as reported by FIFA.
The testimony of the Afghan footballer was one of the most emotional at the conference, in which former Canadian goalkeeper and UNICEF ambassador Karina Leblan, and United Nations Deputy Director for Women Lakshmi Puri also spoke.
"When such an influential organization like FIFA undertakes a cause like women's rights, it represents a great step for society as a whole and for all its areas beyond sports. The fact that we are here every year on March 8th is not just because of the date of International Women's Day, but a concept that must be extended,"