by The Roar Room is an initiative led by the World Players Association (WPA) and supported by UNI Global Union, dedicated to pushing gender equity in particular for women in sport. It is organising a three-part series of online webinars starting on April 9th, related to topics surrounding female-specific health issues in sport, maternity and reproductive health & fertility. The Malta Football Players Association (MFPA)’s General Secretary, Carlo Mamo, spoke of the Association’s work in opening the doorway to the leading information for Maltese players.
What is The Roar Room?
The ‘Roar Room’ is an initiative led by the World Players Association (WPA) and supported by UNI Global Union, bringing together a total of around 85,000 players, through more than 120 player associations. It is dedicated to pushing gender equity in particular for women in sport, through a dedicated strategy.
Part of the Roar Room efforts include hosting a number of online workshops featuring several international experts. Past speakers have included pay equity expert Yolada Beattie, player rights and human rights lawyer Kat Craig, as well as FIFPRO Director of Global Policy & Strategic Relations in Women’s Football, Sarah Gregorious.
The Malta Football Players Association (MFPA) is engaged as the ambassador for Maltese players. MFPA’s General Secretary, Carlo Mamo, spoke of the Association’s pride in providing access to leading advice on the topics. He said, “Thanks to UNI Global Union and FIFPRO, we are now able to offer evidence-based information and practical advice on topics relevant to female players.”
WPA Player Relations Coordinator Gabriela Garton explained the need for the Roar Room, “The Roar Room is a safe space for connection and tough, honest discussions around the role of player associations in engaging with female athletes and their struggle for gender equity. Across sport we are seeing the activist profile of many women athletes, the proliferation of organic organizing and collective action and fledgling governance, commercial and regulatory landscapes. This means the opportunity exists for player associations not only to lead in the representation of female athletes, but also to create a different and even better version of professional sport than the existing reality for many male athletes.”
Gender Equity Webinars
In this regard, the team is organising a three-part series of webinars related to topics surrounding female health, specifically on women’s health issues in sport, maternity and reproductive health & fertility. The webinars are an hour long and recorded for those wishing to view in playback.
MFPA’s Carlo Mamo explained the Association’s priority in engaging in these talks to fulfil its over-arching goals, “The upcoming online sessions will focus on educating and supporting female players on specific health issues in football and assisting them during the transition to motherhood. As the players’ association, our mission is to support all our members to the best of our ability. Therefore, we strive to improve conditions, educate ourselves, players and all stakeholders as we strongly believe that this unified effort will ultimately lead to better performances. By improving performances, we aim to further promote and raise the profile of women’s football, potentially increasing overall participation in the sport.”
The first webinar will be held this Tuesday 9th April, focused on informing and supporting players on female-specific health issues in sport. The second will be held in on the 15th of May and will focus on the transition of players through maternity and motherhood. The final one will be centred around reproductive health information and fertility services in sport, with the date still to be confirmed.
Those who are members within the MFPA and wish to attend may register online here. However, the MFPA is opening the invite to non-members. Those who may not be members of the MFPA but are interested in participating these sessions can reach out to the MFPA at info@maltafpa.com for further information.
Lead Image: World Player Organisation
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