Fight for Peace’s trailblazing programmes have created a safe and supportive environment for women and girls to enjoy the benefits of combat sports.
Fight for Peace supports young people to reach their full potential by combining combat sports with essential youth services such as employability training, education, and mentorship.
Their experience has shown that many girls and young women have never had the opportunity to take part in combat sports classes, and that many others feel intimidated by coming to a gym for the first time. Misconceptions around combat sports included them being “manly” and aggressive, or that they have to be highly physically intensive – which can be off-putting for those least active.
The organisation therefore started 2024 with a commitment to increase participation levels of women and girls, with their action plan focusing on improving representation amongst coaches and mentors, expanding outreach, and creating exclusive spaces for young women and girls.
The organisation now has two flagship services that exclusively engage young women and girls: free, twice-weekly women-only boxing sessions for those aged 14 to 25, designed to create a safe and supportive environment for young women to build confidence, skills, and community; and Lutadoras (Portuguese for “Women Fighters”).
Lutadoras is a weekly personal development session for young women and girls aged 7 to 25 to come together to explore issues, build confidence and a strong sense of identity, overcome challenges, and promote personal growth. The group has also led on the delivery of the #FriendsCanTell project, supporting young women and girls to help friends in toxic relationships.
Evaluations of the Lutadoras programme have shown significant positive impact on the young women who attend, with 89% reporting improvements in their mental wellbeing and 83% having a greater understanding of healthy relationships.
As a result of these initiatives, the organisation has seen a fantastic 300% increase in participation of women and girls.
Find out more about the StreetGames Sport for Development Awards 2024.
