On 30 November 2024, the city of Campinas hosted the fourth edition of the Territorial Forum, held in the North Region. The event was a space for debate and reflection on the presence of young women in sport and the challenges they face. Under the theme “Young Women in Sport”, the session brought together 17 participants, along with five youth leaders, facilitated by Isabelli Rocha, with support from coaches Carol and Jacqueline.
Welcome and Building the Conversation
The gathering opened with an introduction by the facilitators, who shared their own paths in sport and in promoting women’s participation. This opening was essential in creating an atmosphere of welcome and connection among participants.
The interactive activity raised important questions, such as “What is sport?” and “What is this constructed idea of the feminine?”, prompting reflection on the social conceptions tied to gender and sport. The gathering made room for exchanges and provocations about the relationships built above all between young women and sport.
The Transformative Role of Sport
The contributions of Jacqueline and Carol (coaches of the Águias de Handebol team, in Campinas – SP) offered a historical overview of the challenges young women face in sport, highlighting inclusion initiatives and the positive effects of sporting practice on participants’ lives. It became clear that sport is a powerful instrument of social transformation, fostering autonomy, confidence and belonging for young women.
Challenges and Paths to Inclusion
The collective discussion addressed the barriers young women face in sport, including:
- Lack of family and institutional encouragement;
- Absence of female representation in traditional disciplines;
- Cultural barriers that reinforce gender inequality.
During the debate, participants stressed the importance of support from schools, communities and public policy to ensure that more girls can access sport and stay in the disciplines they choose.
Working in groups, participants put forward concrete solutions to encourage women’s participation, such as:
- Strengthening sports programmes in schools and communities;
- Increasing public investment;
- Campaigns to counter prejudice and stereotypes.
Closing
The gathering ended with a moment of synthesis, drawing together the main points discussed and the proposals raised. The facilitators underlined the importance of continuing these conversations and announced the next edition of the Forum, scheduled for December in the central region of Campinas.
The 4th Territorial Forum reaffirmed the need to widen the spaces where young women in sport are heard and lead, fostering a more equal and accessible environment for all. Many challenges remain, but events like this show that the solutions are being built collectively and with transformative intent.