Women's football in India | DW Documentary

Summary

The video script revolves around the theme of women's empowerment through football in India. It features stories of female players from diverse backgrounds, highlighting their struggles, dreams, and the joy they find in the sport. The script captures the impact of Discover Football, an initiative that brings women together to play and coach, fostering a sense of community and breaking societal barriers. The festival atmosphere is palpable, with participants eager to showcase their skills and grow, proving that football is a game for everyone, regardless of gender or background.

Takeaways

• 😀 Football is a unifying force that transcends gender, religion, and culture, as seen in the script where girls from different backgrounds come together to play.
• 🏆 The script highlights the aspirations of girls to become professional football players, despite societal norms that might deem it a 'boys' game'.
• 🌟 Personal stories in the script underscore the importance of pursuing one's dreams, such as Cynthia's dream to become a great football player, inspired by her father.
• 🏥 The emotional and psychological impact of personal hardships, like Cynthia's father's illness and passing, are depicted as significant motivators for players to excel.
• 🌐 The script showcases the global nature of football, with participants from India, Cameroon, and other places, highlighting the sport's universal appeal.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 It emphasizes the importance of family support in pursuing sports, as seen with the encouragement from Cynthia's father and other family members.
• 🏃‍♀️ The script illustrates the challenges faced by female players, such as lack of facilities, societal restrictions, and the need for more opportunities to play.
• 🌱 The festival described in the script serves as a platform for women's empowerment, skill development, and social integration.
• 📈 The script suggests that with the right coaching and opportunities, the level of women's football in India has the potential to improve significantly.
• 🗣️ Language barriers are mentioned as a challenge, but the common language of football helps to bridge these gaps, fostering a sense of community.
• 👏 The script conveys the excitement and energy of the football festival, highlighting the joy and freedom that playing football brings to the participants.

Q & A

Who is Cynthia and what is her background?

Cynthia comes from a small village where football is everything to her. She started playing football when she was young and has a dream to become a great football player, which is also her father's dream.

What was Cynthia's father's role in her passion for football?

Cynthia's father was supportive of her playing football and shared her dream of becoming a great football player. His passing away made her even more determined to fulfill his dream.

What challenges did Cynthia face when her father was in the hospital?

When Cynthia's father was in the hospital, she was stressed out and distracted during football practices because her mind was on her father's condition.

What is the significance of the Afghanistan women's national football team to Cynthia?

The Afghanistan women's national football team inspired Cynthia by showing her that women could play football at an international level, giving her hope and motivation.

What does Cynthia want to achieve by playing football?

Cynthia wants to set an example for other girls by playing football, showing them that they can also pursue their dreams despite societal restrictions.

What is the role of Discover Football in the script?

Discover Football is an organization that has brought qualified coaches and opportunities to local people, helping to improve the level of play and organization of football, especially for women.

How does football impact the lives of the women in the script?

Football provides the women with confidence, a sense of community, and a platform to fight for their rights. It also serves as a means of empowerment and a way to challenge societal norms.

What are some of the barriers to women playing football mentioned in the script?

The script mentions barriers such as lack of qualified coaches, societal restrictions on women's freedom, and a lack of available playing spaces.

What is the importance of the Discover Football festival according to the script?

The Discover Football festival is important because it is a platform for women's empowerment, socialization, integration, and it helps to break stereotypes and promote the idea that football is for everyone, regardless of gender or background.

How does the script describe the experience of playing football for the women involved?

The script describes playing football as an empowering and freeing experience for the women, allowing them to feel alive and to connect with others from different backgrounds.

What are some of the cultural insights revealed in the script?

The script provides insights into the cultural differences and challenges faced by women who play football in different parts of India and the world, such as the acceptance of women playing sports and the importance of family support.

Outlines

00:00

😀 Passion for Football: A Young Girl's Dream

The first paragraph introduces Cynthia, a girl from a small village who is passionate about football. Despite societal norms that seem to suggest football is not a girl's game, Cynthia is determined to pursue her dream of becoming a great football player, inspired by her father's dream as well. She recalls starting to play football with boys in her youth and how her father's passing away strengthened her resolve to fulfill his dream. The paragraph also touches on the challenges she faced, such as her father's illness and the stress it caused, and her commitment to the sport despite personal hardships.

05:01

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family Support and the Power of Football

Paragraph two discusses the importance of family support in pursuing football as a sport, especially for girls. It highlights the experiences of a young Muslim girl who finds confidence and strength through playing football, which helps her overcome academic setbacks. The girl feels fortunate to have the opportunity to play, recognizing that not all girls have the same chance. The paragraph also includes insights from a coach who sees the potential in Indian female football players and the impact of the Discover Football initiative in bringing qualified coaches to nurture talent. The coach emphasizes the universal language of football and the common challenges faced by female players worldwide, from ridicule to more severe threats.

10:19

🏆 The Thrill of the Game and the Quest for Equality

This paragraph focuses on the excitement of football and the desire for equal opportunities for women in the sport. It features a young girl who is eager to be trained by professional coaches and the positive impact of the Discover Football initiative. The narrative includes the challenges of finding places to play and societal restrictions on girls' participation in sports, particularly in regions outside of Mumbai. The paragraph also touches on the importance of the football festival as a platform for women's empowerment and social integration, and the personal growth experienced by the players.

15:20

🌍 Cultural Exchange and the Power of Unity

Paragraph four explores the cultural exchange and unity fostered by the football festival. It includes personal accounts of players from different backgrounds coming together, overcoming language barriers, and learning from one another. The paragraph emphasizes the empowerment of women through football and the realization of their rights. It also highlights the importance of the festival as a platform for peace, development, and socialization, where people can learn to share, give, and accept.

20:22

🏅 The Joy of Football and the Fight for Opportunities

In this paragraph, the joy and freedom that football brings to women are highlighted. It includes the experiences of a girl who finds solace and a sense of life in the sport, despite societal expectations. The paragraph also discusses the need for equal opportunities for women in football, with the argument that girls should have the same chances to prove themselves as boys. The narrative includes the excitement of the football festival, the new friendships formed, and the broader societal implications of women's participation in sports.

25:34

🎵 The Unifying Power of Music and Football

The sixth paragraph is brief and primarily consists of musical interludes and applause, suggesting a celebratory atmosphere. It implies a continuation of the festival's energy and the unifying power of music in conjunction with the sport of football.

Keywords

💡Football

Football, also known as soccer in some countries, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with the objective of scoring by getting the ball into the opponent's goal. In the context of the video, football serves as a unifying force and a medium for empowerment, especially for women and girls who are traditionally underrepresented in the sport. The script mentions characters like Cynthia who dream of becoming great football players, indicating football's significance in their personal growth and aspirations.

💡Empowerment

Empowerment refers to the process of becoming stronger and more confident, especially in controlling one's life and claiming one's rights. The video script emphasizes women's empowerment through football, showing how the sport can be a tool for women to assert their capabilities and challenge societal norms. For example, Cynthia's journey to become a football player against societal expectations exemplifies empowerment.

💡Inclusion

Inclusion is about ensuring that everyone has equal access to opportunities and resources, regardless of their gender, ethnicity, or background. The script discusses how Discover Football, an event mentioned in the transcript, brings together women from different places to play football, promoting inclusion and breaking down barriers. The video highlights the importance of including women in sports, which is traditionally dominated by men.

💡Challenges

Challenges in the script refer to the obstacles and difficulties faced by women who want to participate in football. These can range from societal disapproval to lack of resources and opportunities. The video underscores the universal nature of these challenges, comparing the experiences of women in India and Afghanistan, and how they persist despite varying degrees of societal acceptance.

💡Coaching

Coaching is the process of instructing or training an athlete or sports team. In the video, coaching is highlighted as a critical component in the development of female football players. The script mentions the importance of qualified coaches and the impact they have on the players' skills and confidence, such as the local and professional coaches mentioned in the context of the Discover Football festival.

💡Community

Community in this context refers to a group of people who share common interests or goals. The video script talks about the community of women football players that forms around the Discover Football festival. It shows how this community provides support, shared experiences, and a sense of belonging, which is crucial for the players' personal and professional growth.

💡Opportunity

Opportunity, as used in the script, refers to the chance to do or achieve something, especially in sports. The video emphasizes the need for equal opportunities for women in football, as many female players, like Cynthia, are eager to prove themselves but are often denied the chance to play due to societal constraints. The script contrasts the opportunities available to boys with the lack of opportunities for girls.

💡Cultural Barriers

Cultural barriers are societal norms and traditions that can prevent individuals from participating fully in certain activities. In the video, cultural barriers are evident in the restrictions placed on women's participation in sports, such as football. The script illustrates this through examples from different regions in India and the experiences of women who are not allowed to play outside their homes.

💡Support System

A support system consists of people who provide encouragement, guidance, and assistance. In the video, the importance of a support system is highlighted through the experiences of the female football players, many of whom have family members or coaches who encourage their pursuit of football. Cynthia's story, for instance, mentions the support she receives from her father, which is crucial to her dream of becoming a football player.

💡Self-confidence

Self-confidence is the belief in one's own abilities. The script shows how playing football can boost women's self-confidence, as it provides them with a platform to excel and overcome societal expectations. The video mentions how playing football gives women the courage to pursue their goals and the belief that they can achieve whatever they set their minds to.

💡Stereotypes

Stereotypes are widely held but oversimplified ideas about a particular type of person or thing. The video script challenges stereotypes about women in sports, particularly in football, which is traditionally seen as a male domain. By showcasing women playing football and excelling at it, the video breaks down these stereotypes and promotes a more inclusive view of who can participate in sports.

Highlights

A girl's game? Defying gender stereotypes in sports.

Cynthia's story: From a small village to a dream of becoming a great football player.

The importance of support and encouragement in pursuing sports dreams.

Coping with personal loss and using it as motivation to fulfill a father's dream.

The role of football in building confidence and overcoming academic challenges.

The desire to set an example for other girls and inspire them to play sports.

Inspiration from the Afghanistan women's national football team.

The impact of Discover Football, a platform that brings women together globally.

Coaching and the challenges faced by women in sports across different cultures.

The universal language of football and its role in bridging cultural divides.

Overcoming societal restrictions and gaining freedom through sports.

The importance of community and family support in pursuing a sports career.

The struggle for playing spaces and the gender divide in sports facilities.

The power of football as a tool for women's empowerment and social change.

Cross-cultural exchanges and learning from each other's experiences in football.

The joy of playing football and the sense of freedom it provides.

The need for equal opportunities in sports for both boys and girls.

The government's role in supporting women in sports and overcoming cultural barriers.

Transcripts

Oh

[Music]

[Music]

all the guys is to see it's not a girl's

game who told you've in which

Constitution it is written that it's not

a girl's game neighboring upper ethnic

could pick Jyoti Persinger oh is it not

you committed to map of say shaker oh

boy a person the only person

[Music]

my name is Cynthia I come from a very

small village football is everything for

me when I was small I shall always see

guys playing then once I told my

physical education teacher that so so

even I want to play I'm like dying to

play football and then he called me then

I used to play with boys like small

sided gains fun games we started with

and then yeah I slowly slowly I started

playing football my dream is to become a

great football player it's my father's

dream and mine too

you should always support me and

encourage me even when I still get

rejected for any selection

and then it was a sick Vanya he was in

hospital he was struggling a lot and I

was really stressed out because I don't

know what was happening I used to go for

practices but my mind was somewhere else

my mind was on my father when my dad

passed away I realized that I have to

fulfill his dream now no matter what

[Music]

no attendance away or make children

symbols of rebellion or to bear in human

foot polar shaking net today de Lima

Petawawa can give Merida stupid X I just

consider this a little hidden a pattern

Arab army birthday wrote about holidays

is a mirage a man correcting geeks

Amara dish for China look name comes a

patina is Lima Bravo shared pierogi in

the original Miyamoto octopus popular

echo Buddhism's second signal a cookie

me wrangle whoa monk I'm gonna Dini to

this is the other important or religion

go some alkyl of negative

[Music]

made us but ourselves oh for goodness

sake initially yeah but I still won

approval isn't he whoa America chatter

look Bona Dea was Oscar and there was a

tourist of all I tell you I am inside if

Elena's and I'm doing civil engineering

[Music]

we are 20 people in a family with the

grandmothers four brothers and we all

children together and we follow Muslim

Islam problems well with slim breaks

from my studies it gives me confidence

the power to acquire everything when I

feel discouraged when I don't get good

marks I just when I play it for the boy

I get that courage back I get that I can

do whatever I want when I see that girls

are not giving giving a chance they are

not getting the opportunities I feel

lucky that I'm playing I have something

in me that I'm doing it and all the

girls can do that I want to set an

example for them too it's the first

thing which came in my mind when I

started playing football was rage opting

that what will happen if I go ahead and

I will not get a chance to play just

because of this so when I saw the

Afghanistan Aniston team playing

international games with their job so

they were just like a light towards me

that I've got so much inspired by them

but I came to play the thing that is a

bit the International games are held in

the job so even I can play on the state

level or district level with this

[Music]

so coach told us that there will be a

tournament if she said they are pack

your bags and all and get ready to go

for the festival I was on a call what

Coach seriously hurt selected

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I'm victory enfermo from Cameroon a

coach for Dragon Club of Pia one day I'm

a happy participant of discover football

in Gow

mufasa India looking India and comparing

Cameroon their level of pay everybody's

interested we have young girls who have

the desire but they are not open to the

world there are no coaches as qualified

in India they are not women talented but

they have the idea but discover football

has brought qualified coaches have

brought their own talent of organization

to these local people I think tomorrow

the game of football in India it's going

to be far more better

football has been an essential part of

my life as long as I can think back I

started when I was a little kid then I

also became a coach we started this

cover football with this idea of

bringing women together from different

places really globally and to see do we

have things in common

what are you know experiences that we

can share so that we can help each other

the challenges are everywhere the same

of course there are different levels of

difficulties you know it goes from to be

laughed at when you play as a woman to

receiving death threats and like in

Afghanistan for example so it's

obviously different degree of danger I

would say but the challenges are very

similar I'm beautiful bald so I have no

idea what's going to happen over there

but I'm really much excited for it

football is in Goins blood so we all

love only football so every way we see

on television also we see only football

if if it's a cricket match we don't we

don't leave order to watch that

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[Applause]

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[Applause]

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this is not a competition right because

we all are mixed for me every match is

important I always wanted to be trained

under a professional quotes and and

discover football I got that opportunity

we have one local meaning Indian quotes

and one professional they just keep on

seeing them how they play and what they

taught us is really very good and we can

share it's like okay I'm I have with 80%

of knowledge from all the coaches over

the world well come from different

backgrounds our essence our different

communication is different there's a lot

of language barrier even in India there

are so many languages but football is a

universal game football is a global

activity and has no other language than

the ball movement and space

we do women here it's so wonderful their

parents already let them means they

already accept and has the thing that it

shouldn't have their right to come to

the activity some parents or say no and

in my country if you do something like

that I'll let you go

[Music]

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get this tournament the participants are

really eager to take part they want

people to witness what they're doing and

then the actual images that come out of

it are beautiful

you know the images of strong young

players the images of players who maybe

don't have as much experience and you

see them growing and learning on the

field and then you have images you know

that are just fulfill every stereotype

of like sports photography

my father my other members of the family

they were very supportive

Mumbai people actually bit open mind so

our girls are allowed to play but we are

not having the place to play though all

the grounds are not on my locality are

actually occupied occupied with the boys

so even I don't get a chance to play

here in my locality after travel one

hour to membra and play over there even

I took the girls from Jharkhand girls

are not allowed to play outside they are

not allowed to play the football or any

other game outside their house so it was

like okay this is happening in other

states too

we are not there living in Mumbai but we

don't know that girls are not given

freedom in other states so in disco

football we came to know that there are

women facing problems freedom problems

rights problem in their states

the players bring so much energy so even

like on day seven when I'm getting out

of bed and I'm so tired and it's so hot

and all my clothes are dirty and I smell

I just say yep but once you get there

and I know the minute I get here the

players bring this incredible energy

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

I think it's a wonderful festival

especially for women empowerment and you

know how girls realize the value that

being a women and fighting for your

rights is very important so I think

y'all had a number of workshops and they

have been enlightened because that is

the most important thing especially in a

country like India the game football is

not only for men it's not only for women

it's a game for everybody even for

transgender that can do something with

their bodies with their rights and to

have entertainment in the game it's a

platform for peace development

socialization integration and you learn

how to share how to give how to accept

even a problem

I never had a Muslim friend hearing

breakfast

I met one train from Bombay I guess

yeah Mumbai for him she is really nice

really cute talkative also huh

when I met them I was like okay we are

just doing hello hi that's it and it

takes 2 2 to 3 days to get free with

them and we started conversate

conversating with each other

[Music]

but nominal John Romita some may signify

data to our net with no pay level

picture of India territory

Tony I'm don't know how are they

supposed to stay with a friend oh yeah

foreign believer to mental authority

blocking he wore a pancake and retina

robot me to say photo metadata was

swallow orbicular to is every Hotel

cæsar I was really worried about my

hijab - but babe oh really they're

really sweet and at least the respective

things Muslims or whatever it may be a

job so they never never offended me told

me to remove it

they are they allow me to play with

itself felt very free aware

[Applause]

[Music]

[Music]

with this festival I could interact with

people in kind of a different language

not not really but yeah I got to meet so

many new people especially Tibetans whom

I'd be never know that they exist

[Music]

[Applause]

I'm gonna participate connect up

it's literally or home go tonight or say

I'm tip I didn't represent it kar sakthe

or or sat me girls environment sugars of

the easily Comiskey festival

[Music]

you know calm everyone down but on the

other hand obviously we also wanna

see nice football games right and that's

also what we need far less coaches some

of you in this room we're on the

sidelines yelling at your players

telling them what to do

the game belongs to the place

[Music]

[Applause]

I prefer football over everything and

even if I am in the eye I do play I feel

free I feel life it's my other life

[Music]

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[Applause]

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I had enjoy a loop very much and the

most important one was happy with about

that regard of many friends and we is a

team walk so we should be playing like a

friendly match so so 1x settings the

amount of opportunity boys get I I think

even girls should get that and because

that is the only way we can prove

ourselves

[Applause]

[Applause]

okay there's so many more stories to

hear I want to see I want to know I want

to hear it doesn't matter how many

women's or girls stories I hear about

football there's always a new aspect to

it it was actually beyond my

expectations the festival here is

wonderful and the first thing I'm

feeling is very very much lucky to come

here to enjoy the beat and soccer on

beat it's wonderful the governments are

and they are not free I think some they

are one of the reason because they don't

let their shell string they don't try if

they're just saying that okay we are at

home we'll do the work at home household

things so they need the first step

should be taken by them then the world

will maybe support them

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[Applause]

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you