The Fare network roundtable event “Inclusion and Respect is a Right” on ethnic minority women in football took place this week in Paris (16-17 June 2019).

Women from 16 different countries around Europe came together to discuss the role football can play in aiding the empowerment and personal development of ethnic minority women.

The two-day event also provided networking opportunities for those in attendance to help move forward and drive inclusion.

"Learning about all the different experiences and stories, and how we can help each other as minority groups has been incredible," said Jean Sseninde from the Sseninde Foundation, who attended the roundtable. "[It's been great] actually knowing how valuable we are and knowing the group has amazing people."

Topics of discussion included a look at the landscape for ethnic minority women in football, leadership and effectiveness training and how football can help offer greater visibility to ethnic minority women. The importance of strategy in developing organisations was also on the agenda, as well as a panel discussion.

"The leadership session showcased many experiences that I have gone through myself, and I know that I will be able to share it with other people," said Sseninde.

"The roundtable was really, really special because we were around amazing women - a lot of ethnic minority women who were sharing their different experiences from across Europe," said Hayley Bennett, a diversity and wellbeing consultant and co-founder of Nutmegs.

"It was really interesting to learn different perspectives – how we’re similar, how we’re different and how we can learn from each other and hopefully work in partnership.”