An extensive data collection and research study has taken place as part of the REWINS (REfugee Women INclusion through Sports) to find best practices for inclusion of refugee women in sport.

The Research Study took place to sum up the results of the data collection and best practices collated from Greece, Denmark, Italy and other countries, on the subject of how to include refugee women in host communities through sport.

The EU project is called REWINS (REfugee Women INclusion through Sports) and the aim is to promote positive attitudes towards refugee women in sports. From January to December 2020 the Fare network is part of this EU project along with partners Organization Earth, Polisportiva San Precario and Girl Power. The focus of it is on the participation of women refugees in Football.

The main point is to reduce the challenges that limit refugee participation in sport activities and to act as a cornerstone for their integration within the local society. This project focuses in particular on female refugees that normally suffer from higher barriers while they try to participate in sports.

REWINS partners Polisportiva began by submitting questionnaires around organisations in Italy that are helping or coordinating with refugees. Their aim was to obtain an overview of the refugees’ possible interest in practicing sports. Polisportiva reported that many refugees held fears about their situation and what will happen to them, some could be displaced in other cities, some might lose support from the shelters. Their situation in Italy can be highly unstable.

Polisportiva also worked, and continue to work, on the development of materials for the Training Course that will be developed during the project.

At the REWINS' second Transnational Meeting all partners met to create roundtables for discussing the main points and the structure for the Training Course. The project's core themes and topics were discussed and data from the questionnaires was analysed, as well as the exchange of ideas and good practices.

Organisation Earth, another project partner from Greece, also carried out several actions regarding the implementation of REWINS. Being the lead organisation for the research study and collection of good practices, Organization Earth were able collect the data needed from refugee women, visiting the refugee camp in Skaramangas, Greece in order to do this. There, they were able to meet and discuss with refugee women.

Together with the data collection, Organization Earth also conducted a first recruitment of participants for the team which took part in activities at the event they organised on the occasion of the European Week of Sport. This took place in central Athens using football as a means of promoting inclusion, diversity and sustainable development goals.

To download and read the study please click the following link.