Cla rion Call for Sports as an Intervention for Girls A soccer field seems an unlikely venue for implementing the reproductive health and population agenda. In a recent commentary, Population Council associate Martha Brady sets forth an argument for sports programs as a way to empower and inform girls, a goal assuming prominence in the Council and other non-governmental organizations concerned with women's rights and human development.
Girls are under tremendous pressure to begin sexual activity and childbearing early.
We must address the whole girl and give her the skills and knowledge she needs to exert more control over her life. A report by the U.S. President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports showed that in comparison to sedentary girls, those who engage in sports programs or regular physical activity do better academically, register lower pregnancy rates, and have a reduced risk of incurring chronic diseases as adults. Another striking conclusion was that regular physical activity can enhance girls' mental health. In her commentary, Brady poses several questions about the sociocultural context of sports participation for girls. The Council is active, for example, in Vietnam, training soccer coaches to counsel youth about preventing HIV infection.