UNODC, Netherlands embassy hold Football Clinic in Islamabad to empower young girls

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), in close partnership with the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) organized a high-impact football clinic for young girls in Islamabad on Monday.

The theme was “Building Bridges Through Sports”, the initiative exemplified the power of sports in fostering inclusion, resilience, and peaceful communities particularly among youth.

As many as 35 girls, aged 14–18, from Islamabad Model College for Girls participated in the clinic.

The clinic aimed to inspire teamwork, leadership, and mutual respect through structured sporting activities serving as a platform for promoting social cohesion and preventing violent extremism (PVE) at the grassroots level.

 In his opening remarks, Troels Vester, UNODC Country Representative in Pakistan said that, “At UNODC, we firmly believe that when young people especially young girls are given meaningful opportunities to participate, to lead, and to shape decisions that affect their lives, they become powerful agents of resilience against the forces of radicalization and violence.”

 Representing NACTA, a senior official highlighted the importance of youth engagement and gender-responsive initiatives in achieving the goals of Pakistan’s National Policy on Preventing Violent Extremism (NPVE).

Henny Fokel de Vries, Ambassador of the Netherlands to Islamabad, commended the initiative, stating, “Sport has the extraordinary ability to unite, empower, and inspire. We are proud to support efforts that strengthen community ties and offer young people a safe and constructive outlet to thrive.”

Kayanat Bokhari, a professional footballer and youth mentor, encouraged the girls to pursue their goals with passion and perseverance.

The clinic included a range of engaging activities such as Freeze Tag with a ball, dribble relays, the Pass & Move Challenge, and small-sided matches.