Sydney based Assmaah Helal, has designed and lead a number of initiatives and programs to create a safe space for women to commit and learn football.
Born and raised in Australia, Assmaah says she was "very fortunate to be able to play football on regular basis".
"Football runs through my veins"
However, Assmaah says, this is not the case for many of the women in her Muslim community. 
"Football is not often looked at as sports for girls, there are cultural misunderstandings or misconceptions. Some prioritize education, employment or raising families"
Assmaah has designed and lead a number of advocacy campaigns for women to play football Source: Assmaah Helal
Assmaah also points out the inter-generational challenges that second generation immigrants face, trying to maintain the core value of their family and culture, while adopting the new.
For Assmaah, football is a "place of peace, inclusion and belonging"
"It has allowed me to be proud of my identity, and be the leader that I am today"
"I want others to feel that"
Hina Javed, who trained with Barcelona Football Club in Melbourne, started the Delta Football Club in Pakistan, encouraging women to join the sport.
However, in a conservative and male-dominated society such as Pakistan, encouraging women to take up football, is an uphill task.
Hina started a football club in Pakistan,encouraging women to participate Source: Hina Javed
Footballers wearing shorts or tights on the field are considered inappropriate, such that they are often ridiculed or criticised.
Hina says, some have being called “porn stars,” “whores” and “Pakistan’s shame” .
She says such behaviours like body-shaming and sexual harassment, whether imagined or perceived, could affect positive and free participation of women in the sport.
Hina hopes that one day, every city or town in Pakistan will have sports facilities for women to play, free from social stigma.
For Filipino football players, the qualification of the women's national team to the 2023 Women's Word Cup has been a historic moment.
Prior to this, no Philippine team, men, women, or even at the youth level, has made it to the biggest stage of football competition.
Mutya Aller-Lara, who played for the first Philippines women’s futsal team and is now part of the Waverley Football Club in Sydney, says back in the Philippines, finding a team that will train female players was a struggle.
Filipino football players, from left, Mutya Lara, Arqueene Chiong , Rhea Penales Source: Mutya Lara, Arqueene Chiong, Rhea Penales
She felt that women in football were seen as copycat athletes, trying hard to be part of the men’s game.
"For them, we are just trying to imitate the male players. We are not being recognized that even if we are women, we do enjoy this kind of sports"
After moving to Australia, coach Rhea Penales and her partner, Arqueene Chiong, have found ways to promote the women’s game in several football clubs, convincing parents to let their children join the team. They do free coaching sessions for kids and women.
"We try our best to explain the importance of sports in every child’s life and the skills and discipline that they can learn from it”
For more on the inspirational stories of these women, listen to the 3rd episode of Moving Goal:Beyond Barriers.
LISTEN TO
Providing a safe space for women to play football
SBS Audio
04/02/202220:16
