About Us

Founded in 2007 by Astrid Aafjes, Women Win is recognised as a leading global organisation using sport as a strategy to advance women's rights.

Women Win is a unique organisation and we have quickly emerged as a thought leader, strategically positioned at the intersection of the women’s rights and sport for development sectors. We are internationally recognised as a specialist on gender and sports and are often asked to share our knowledge and advise on international projects.

We aim to raise the bar on quality programming by setting standards around good practices for girls and women's sport programs – programs that address critical issues affecting the lives of girls and women in in their communities, including sexual and reproductive health concerns, gender based violence, and economic empowerment. Women Win's model is built on the premise that girls and women are empowered by acquiring new and valued skills, having a range of social assets, and being able to access resources and opportunities. We believe that sport can play a unique role in connecting and linking these elements.

To ensure impact and scale and to realise shared objectives, Women Win has established key strategic partnerships and alliances with women’s rights organisations and networks, sport for development organisations and sport institutions, including the Women’s Funding Network (WFN), Plan Netherlands, Homeless World Cup, SportAccord, Australian Sports Outreach Program (ASOP) and Standard Chartered Bank.

Over the past five years, we have:

• Supported over 28 programme partners and fellows in 21 countries.
• Established key strategic partnerships and alliances with corporations, sport and development organisations, and networks including Nike, DLA Piper, Standard Chartered Bank, Goldman Sachs, Ashoka and Wieden+Kennedy.
• Achieved global recognition as a specialist and consultant on gender and sport.
• Published an impact report: Empowerment of Girls and Women Through Sport (2009).
• Developed Women Win Guidelines and Curriculums to Date:
  International Guide to Designing Sport Programmes for Girls
  International Guide to Addressing Gender-Based Violence Through Sport
  International Guide to Economic Empowerment Through Sport
  Addressing GBV Through Sport in Conflict/Post Conflict Regions
  Women Win Curriculum: Addressing Gender-Based Violence Through Sport

• Through our programme partners we have directly impacted over 17.000 girls and young women. Indirectly Women Win impacted over 136.000 people that are part of the communities in which the programme partners operate.
  
  
  
  
  Header Photo Credit: L. Paláez, Tiempo de Juego