ISLAMABAD, June 27 (TNF): Nobel laureate and activist Malala Yousafzai has announced a new global initiative aimed at boosting investment in women’s sports at both professional and amateur levels.
The initiative, named Recess, was launched on Tuesday by Malala and her husband Asser Malik. The project seeks to promote greater participation of women in sports by supporting teams and creating more inclusive opportunities across the world. According to Dawn News, Recess plans to channel resources into both established and emerging women’s sports teams.
In an interview with CNN, Malala reflected on her school days in Swat, where girls were often sidelined when it came to sports. “I remember in school recess time when boys would go off to the local cricket playground and girls had to stay behind,” she said. “From that point onwards, I knew that sports was something that girls did not have easy access to.”
Malala described sports as a “powerful way of bringing communities together.” She noted that while competition is part of sports, it ultimately fosters unity. “We could be competitive, but at the same time, when the game is over, we can hug each other, shake hands, and recognise that we’re all one humanity,” she said.
Highlighting the lack of funding in women’s sports, Malala stressed that insufficient investment continues to limit opportunities for female athletes. She and Malik hope Recess can help change that by using their platform and expertise to drive meaningful progress. “We were looking for an opportunity where we could bring in our expertise, our platform to benefit women’s sports,” she explained.
So far, the couple has identified the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) and the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) in the United States as potential leagues for investment under their initiative.
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