Empowering Girls Through Sport in Türkiye - IOC Initiative 2025
Celebrating International Women’s Day 2025, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is championing community-based projects throughout the Olympic Movement that give women and girls greater access to sport. One standout initiative is the Turkish Olympic Committee’s “Empowering Girls Through Sport” program, which has been making a lasting impact on girls aged 10 to 14 since its inception in 2021. To date, around 1,500 girls have participated.
This program, supported by the IOC’s Olympic Solidarity through its Olympic Values initiative, operates year-round in three underprivileged cities in Türkiye – Gaziantep, Şanliurfa, and Diyarbakir – where girls often drop out of school after middle school and participation in sports is generally low.
To address these issues, four sports academies have been launched in these areas, offering professional coaching in seven Olympic disciplines: badminton, basketball, gymnastics, handball, table tennis, taekwondo, and volleyball. The Turkish Olympic Committee covers all project expenses, including athletic gear, equipment, facility upgrades, and maintenance, with help from Olympic Solidarity.
The initiative aims to support girls' physical, emotional, and social well-being through sport, while also encouraging them to stay in school and boosting their self-confidence. As Turkish Olympic Committee Secretary General Nese Gundogan explains, the project is designed to help girls build resilience and self-belief while continuing their education.
The impact has been significant: over 61% of participants have seen their academic performance improve, and nearly 97% have expressed a strong interest in pursuing higher education. The program has also begun to shift societal attitudes, with increased parental recognition of the benefits of girls’ involvement in sports and growing gender equality awareness within the communities.
Inspiring Role Models and Big Dreams
The program also offers inspiration by connecting girls with successful female athletes. Among them is Eda Erdem, captain of the national women’s volleyball team, who also serves as Chair of the Turkish Olympic Committee Athletes' Commission and a member of the Executive Board. A three-time Olympian, Erdem actively promotes the programme’s goals and acts as a powerful role model.
One participant shared: “Joining the school has made me so happy. I enjoy spending time with my friends and coaches. I hope to become an athlete like Eda Erdem someday.” Erdem believes the program nurtures long-term self-confidence, noting: “These girls will grow into strong women and remember, ‘I’m glad I played volleyball or handball back then.’”
Other athletes like Aliye Demirbağ, a badminton player who competed at the 2014 Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, are also involved in motivating participants. “I want these girls to chase their dreams and turn them into reality,” she says. Encouragingly, over 75% of surveyed participants now aspire to careers in professional sport, drawing inspiration from athletes like Erdem and Demirbağ.
Some have already begun achieving success, winning regional school tournaments in basketball and badminton, representing their cities with pride.
Guidance, Mentorship, and Lasting Impact
The coaches involved are more than just trainers – they’re mentors, guiding the girls both on and off the field. Handpicked for their dedication and approach, they’ve received glowing feedback from participants, earning an average satisfaction rating of 4.9 out of 5. Observers of the program report not only physical progress among the girls, but emotional growth as well.
One coach offered a metaphor for the program’s importance: “It’s like planting a tree. You water it for two years, but if it hasn’t borne fruit yet, do you cut it down? What if it was meant to bear fruit in three? Ending the project too soon could mean missing its full potential.”
Committed to its growth, the Turkish Olympic Committee is exploring expansion into other regions facing similar challenges, ensuring that even more girls can benefit.
Creating Opportunities Through Olympism
The IOC’s Olympic Values program, under the Olympic Solidarity banner, helps National Olympic Committees develop initiatives that empower individuals and communities through sport. These efforts align with the IOC’s Olympism365 strategy, which supports the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by using sport as a tool for positive change.
Thanks to continued collaboration between the IOC, NOCs, International Federations, and Olympism365 initiatives, more girls and women across the globe are being given the opportunity to participate in and benefit from sport every day.
This program, supported by the IOC’s Olympic Solidarity through its Olympic Values initiative, operates year-round in three underprivileged cities in Türkiye – Gaziantep, Şanliurfa, and Diyarbakir – where girls often drop out of school after middle school and participation in sports is generally low.
To address these issues, four sports academies have been launched in these areas, offering professional coaching in seven Olympic disciplines: badminton, basketball, gymnastics, handball, table tennis, taekwondo, and volleyball. The Turkish Olympic Committee covers all project expenses, including athletic gear, equipment, facility upgrades, and maintenance, with help from Olympic Solidarity.
The initiative aims to support girls' physical, emotional, and social well-being through sport, while also encouraging them to stay in school and boosting their self-confidence. As Turkish Olympic Committee Secretary General Nese Gundogan explains, the project is designed to help girls build resilience and self-belief while continuing their education.
The impact has been significant: over 61% of participants have seen their academic performance improve, and nearly 97% have expressed a strong interest in pursuing higher education. The program has also begun to shift societal attitudes, with increased parental recognition of the benefits of girls’ involvement in sports and growing gender equality awareness within the communities.
Inspiring Role Models and Big Dreams
The program also offers inspiration by connecting girls with successful female athletes. Among them is Eda Erdem, captain of the national women’s volleyball team, who also serves as Chair of the Turkish Olympic Committee Athletes' Commission and a member of the Executive Board. A three-time Olympian, Erdem actively promotes the programme’s goals and acts as a powerful role model.
One participant shared: “Joining the school has made me so happy. I enjoy spending time with my friends and coaches. I hope to become an athlete like Eda Erdem someday.” Erdem believes the program nurtures long-term self-confidence, noting: “These girls will grow into strong women and remember, ‘I’m glad I played volleyball or handball back then.’”
Other athletes like Aliye Demirbağ, a badminton player who competed at the 2014 Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, are also involved in motivating participants. “I want these girls to chase their dreams and turn them into reality,” she says. Encouragingly, over 75% of surveyed participants now aspire to careers in professional sport, drawing inspiration from athletes like Erdem and Demirbağ.
Some have already begun achieving success, winning regional school tournaments in basketball and badminton, representing their cities with pride.
Guidance, Mentorship, and Lasting Impact
The coaches involved are more than just trainers – they’re mentors, guiding the girls both on and off the field. Handpicked for their dedication and approach, they’ve received glowing feedback from participants, earning an average satisfaction rating of 4.9 out of 5. Observers of the program report not only physical progress among the girls, but emotional growth as well.
One coach offered a metaphor for the program’s importance: “It’s like planting a tree. You water it for two years, but if it hasn’t borne fruit yet, do you cut it down? What if it was meant to bear fruit in three? Ending the project too soon could mean missing its full potential.”
Committed to its growth, the Turkish Olympic Committee is exploring expansion into other regions facing similar challenges, ensuring that even more girls can benefit.
Creating Opportunities Through Olympism
The IOC’s Olympic Values program, under the Olympic Solidarity banner, helps National Olympic Committees develop initiatives that empower individuals and communities through sport. These efforts align with the IOC’s Olympism365 strategy, which supports the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by using sport as a tool for positive change.
Thanks to continued collaboration between the IOC, NOCs, International Federations, and Olympism365 initiatives, more girls and women across the globe are being given the opportunity to participate in and benefit from sport every day.
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