The Turkish Olympic Committee’s “Empowering Girls Through Sport” project, has been making a profound difference to girls aged from 10 to 14 since its launch in 2021, with approximately 1,500 participants so far.

Supported by the IOC through the Olympic Solidarity Olympic Values programme, the grassroots programme provides year-round access to sport to girls in three of Türkiye’s disadvantaged cities – Gaziantep, Şanliurfa and Diyarbakir – which have low school attendance rates for girls, particularly after middle school, and where children’s participation in sport is low.

In total, four sports schools have been set up in these cities to provide expert coaching in seven Olympic sports, badminton, basketball, gymnastics, handball, table tennis, taekwondo and volleyball. The Turkish Olympic Committee, with the support of Olympic Solidarity, funds all the costs for the project – from clothes and equipment to gym renovations and cleaning.

Evidence indicates that the programme is already having a significant impact, with 61.5 per cent of participants having improved their academic performance after taking part in the project, and 96.7 per cent having expressed a strong desire to pursue higher education. The findings also highlight the project’s role in changing gender perceptions within communities, and increasing parental awareness of the benefits of girls’ involvement in sport.