UNESCO promotes equality and well-being through sport at the “Copa de Campeonas”

In Peru, there are 9.77 million under-age 0 to 17, representing 28.7% of the total population. Of them, 49.3% are girls and adolescents. According to the OECD (2024), at age 15, girls show lower levels of stress resilience, emotional control, optimism, and sociability, while boys show lower levels of tolerance, empathy, and persistence. These gaps highlight the urgency of addressing mental health preventively, understanding that adolescence is a crucial stage for building resilience, confidence, and life skills.

Faced with this challenge, UNESCO reaffirmed its commitment to equality and well-being through the "Copa de Campeonas", a socio-sportive event held on October 25th in Lima that brought together more than 300 adolescents, families, and teachers. The event combined soccer matches with an interactive fair featuring stations on adolescent leadership, rights promotion, teacher well-being linked to mental health, and family environments free from violence-demonstrating how sport can become a key tool for prevention and for strengthening school and community bonds.

In this context, the UNESCO Representative to Peru stated: "Through "Campeonas Sin Barreras", we support teachers and students in challenging stereotypes on and off the field and strengthening both physical and mental health. Sport helps develop leadership and socioemotional skills while fostering schools free of violence. Every pass, every goal, every hug on the field drives equality. We congratulate our Champions and the entire community that cheers them on for making this possible."

The event, organized by UNESCO Peru and Fundación Fútbol Más Perú in partnership with the National Institute of Mental Health "Honorio Delgado - Hideyo Noguchi," highlighted the need for comprehensive responses to support adolescents-such as promoting sport and healthy lifestyles, training teachers, engaging families, and ensuring accessible mental health services. Youth organizations such as The Millenials Movement and ESCAPPATE also joined, contributing their energy and experience to the initiative.

"Copa de Campeonas is the result of six months of collaborative work, during which adolescents, teachers, UGEL representatives, and school leaders have internalized the meaning of healthy school coexistence and the importance of leveling the playing field through our socio-sportive methodology. This event not only promotes sport practice but also the exchange of experiences, stories, and learnings among adolescents from different districts, strengthening values, bonds, and safe spaces for all," said Ivonne Gonzales, Director of Fútbol Más Perú.

Ten female teams from San Juan de Lurigancho, Comas, and San Martín de Porres participated in the Copa, accompanied by teachers and families. The matches were guided by Fútbol Más' methodology, which uses the Green Card and Blue Card-tools that promote socioemotional learning and positive coexistence. During the games, values such as respect, responsibility, creativity, teamwork, and joy were celebrated.

The day concluded with recognitions for students and Physical Education teachers, highlighting the value of collective effort to build inclusive, violence-free schools and to foster adolescent leadership.

"Our participation focused on recognizing sport as an essential element that protects mental health. We work to strengthen adolescents' socioemotional skills and promote healthy family relationships through play. In addition, we shared self-care techniques with teachers, understanding that the integral well-being of the entire educational community is key for prevention and the promotion of mental health," said Dr. Vanessa Herrera, Executive Director of Research, Teaching, and Specialized Collective Health Services at INSM "HD-HN."

The Copa de Campeonas is part of UNESCO's 30th anniversary celebrations in Peru and reaffirms the organization's commitment to ensuring the well-being of adolescents.