Vice Chairperson of Qatar Foundation, H E Sheikha Hind bint Hamad Al Thani with Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations Office at Geneva, H E Dr. Hend Abdulrahman Al-Muftah during the event.
Geneva: The Permanent Mission of the State of Qatar to the United Nations Office at Geneva, in cooperation with Qatar Foundation and Qatar Sports Investments, organised a high-level event on ‘Empowering Women and Girls In and Through Sport - From Words to Deeds’, on the sidelines of the 62nd Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council.
The event was attended by representatives of diplomatic missions, international and regional organisations, and civil society organisations focused on sports, human rights, peace and development.
Delivering her keynote speech at the event, Vice Chairperson of Qatar Foundation, H E Sheikha Hind bint Hamad Al Thani spoke about how Qatar’s commitment to recognising sport as a “fundamental human right and a powerful instrument for the advancement of women and girls globally” predated Human Rights Council Resolution 59/17, which enshrined this. “Across the world, we are witnessing increased investment in women’s sports,” she said. “Participation has grown. Funding has grown. Visibility has expanded. Yet celebration without honesty is incomplete. Because alongside this process, we face a stubborn reality: high injury rates among female athletes and higher dropout rates for girls during adolescence, a pattern that repeats across the world.”
Sporting pathways for women that are not tailored to women, Sheikha Hind warned, lead to preventable injuries, prematurely end sporting careers and, most importantly, overlook the distinct physiological characteristics of women. She explained how – from involving women in shaping facilities and providing tailored coaching, to leading research that will create a scientific evidence base on sporting provision for women and girls – Qatar is driving transformative change that will resonate worldwide.
“Our vision for Resolution 59/17 is to go beyond parity,” she told the audience. “Our hope is a transformation that allows for programmes, spaces, and more, all designed by women and informed by science that studies women.
“Girls everywhere must be able to play – full, equally, safely, and with joy – and Qatar answers this call by channeling existing partnerships and international cooperation efforts to create practical programmes that expand opportunity for women and girls beyond our borders.”
“We’re pursuing systems and spaces designed for women, informed by science that studies women, built with insights from women. This is how we ensure that every girl knows her body is powerful, capable, and worthy of investment.”
In a recorded video message, Chairman of Qatar Sports Investments and President of Paris Saint-Germain, Nasser Al-Khelaïfi addressed the importance of sport in shaping lives, breaking down barriers, and changing them for the better. He emphasised that every girl has the right to participate in sports and stressed the importance of increasing women’s presence in leadership positions within the sports business sector.
Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations Office at Geneva, H E Dr. Hend Abdulrahman Al-Muftah focused on the importance of building on the success achieved by Human Rights Council Resolution 59/17 on empowering women and girls in and through sport, which was initiated by the State of Qatar in July 2025 in partnership with Indonesia and Morocco, and unanimously adopted.
She also spoke about the importance of translating international commitments into practical steps that enhance the empowerment of women and girls through sport, emphasising that harnessing the transformative power of sport in empowering women and girls requires promoting their active participation, equal opportunities, supporting women’s leadership, and providing safe and violence-free sporting environments.
Keynote addresses were also delivered by Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva, H E Tatiana Valovaya; Director-General of the International Labour Organisation H E Gilbert F. Houngbo; Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, Awa Dabo; and Secretary-General of the International Basketball Federation, Andreas Zagklis.
