“Tackled!”, a practical, conceptual guide to working with boys and young men in decreasing gender-based violence through sport, was launched by South Africa based, award-winning NGO Girls & Football SA in August, 2017. Most recently, “Tackled!”, main author Jos Anna Dirkx, launched in Dubai, the UAE.
The event encouraged discussion around masculinity, gender and the important role of sport for youth. Sponsored by the Dubai Marine Beach Resort, in collaboration with The Dreamwork Collective.
The event saw professional athletes, corporate executives, media and creatives and Dubai’s leading sport influencers come together to engage in and discuss the power of safe spaces in sport to change the future of young people.
The award-winning NGO Girls & Football SA is the first organization in South Africa to work solely with girls and young women in creating safe spaces for healthy discourse around sexuality and identity, paired with football games and tournaments. Through access to sport, girls are able to explore body ownership, which results in having higher self-esteem, stronger leadership skills and access to accurate health information.“TACKLED!”: Through collective stories, research and findings on girls, boys and violence in South Africa, Girls and Football SA has combined theoretical research with a hands-on approach on how to reduce sexual violence. Near 800 boys and men with an average of 21 years-old were surveyed in an effort to understand perspectives around masculinity, gender-based violence and the importance of youth inclusion.
For more information follow TACKLED on Twitter:
@_tackled – Tackled!
@josdirkx – Jos Anna Dirkx, author
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