England’s Euro 2022 winners urge next UK PM to support girls’ football
August 4, 2022, 9:28 am

England’s Euro 2022 winners urge next UK PM to support girls’ football

File photo. Commonwealth England 2022 via Sandra Carless - Photo. Pixabay

England’s Euro 2022 winning footballers on Wednesday (August 3) urged the two candidates vying to become the UK’s next prime minister to ensure that all girls have access to the sport at school, the Arabnews reported, citing the AFP.

All 23 members of the squad, which beat Germany 2-1 in Sunday’s final at a sold-out Wembley Stadium, signed an open letter to Conservative Party leadership candidates Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss, calling on their help to “create real change in this country.”

They wrote: “Currently only 63 percent of girls can play football in PE (physical education) lessons. The reality is we are inspiring young girls to play football, only for many to end up going to school and not being able to play.”

“This is something that we all experienced growing up.”

The players asked the two candidates to pledge to ensure that all girls have access to at least two hours of PE sessions each week, where football is offered.

FLASHBACK … As Namibia’s Christine Mboma prepares to compete in the 200m heats at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England, this morning, we look back at her stunning silver medal performance at the Tokyo Olympics last year on 3 August 2021. Video: File pic.twitter.com/V1r3vlIcO0
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They wrote: “We have made incredible strides in the women’s game, but this generation of schoolgirls deserves more.”

“They deserve to play football at lunchtime, they deserve to play football in PE lessons and they deserve to believe they can one day play for England.

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“We want to create real change in this country and we are asking you, if you were to become Prime Minister on 5 September, to help us achieve that change.”

Both candidates responded to the Lionesses’ call, without making any firm commitment on schoolgirls being able to play football.

Truss’s campaign responded by saying the candidate “is committed to investigating what prevents schools from delivering the recommended minimum of two hours PE per week.”

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Sunak’s spokesman said he “would love to see all schools provide two hours of PE a week.”

Source: arabnews

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”