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UNICEF And FIFA Kick Off 'Goals for Girls!' Campaign to Promote Rights

The United Nations Children's Fund (<"http://www.unicef.org/china2007/index_40818.html">UNICEF) and the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) have kicked off a new "Goals for Girls!" campaign which aims to promote education, gender equality and women's rights through sport.

Launched on 7 September in conjunction with the FIFA Women's World Cup China 2007, Goals for Girls! will use the competition as a platform to explain how educating girls not only helps eliminate gender discrimination but also contributes to addressing many of the most serious problems their communities face.

"Children everywhere have a right to education, and educating girls is a key to defeating poverty, hunger, disease, violence, abuse and exploitation," said UNICEF Executive Director Ann M. Veneman. "Through Goals for Girls!, UNICEF and FIFA will take this important message to soccer fans around the world."

The Federation's President, Joseph S. Blatter, said FIFA's long-standing partnership with UNICEF is founded on the two organizations' shared goal of supporting the rights of children, especially those of girls. "Football has an indispensable role to play as a tool for promoting integration, education and communication and, as such, it can help build a better future," he said.

The UNICEF-FIFA campaign promotes the child-friendly school model, offering both genders a quality education in a safe environment, even in emergency situations. UNICEF also works with partners and governments to remove barriers to education, including school fees and lack of access.

During the current competition, the 16 best women's national teams from the six confederations will be competing from 10 to 30 September in Chengdu, Hangzhou, Shanghai, Tianjin and Wuhan to be crowned world champion.

Since 2001, UNICEF and FIFA have teamed up on numerous occasions, using the world's most popular sport to inform them about the dangers of HIV/AIDS and help protect them from violence and exploitation.

Source: United Nations