Let’s use women’s football to tackle rape and teenage pregnancy- Samira Suleman advises

Ghanaian female football icon, Samira Suleman has urged authorities to consider using women’s football as a social intervention tool to rid society of teenage pregnancy and rape cases.

According to the Black Queens striker, the women’s game isn’t lucrative, and purposely analysing its profit-making capabilities before investing in the sector will scare a lot of investors away.

She however encouraged corporate entities and well-to-do individuals to focus on how they can invest in women’s football and use that investment as a social intervention program.

Samira Suleman, 28, believes that but for football, plenty of girls will be at the mercy of the streets where they will be exposed to the dangers such a terrain presents.

She revealed this in an interview with Football Made in Ghana on the GH Footy Show with Sheikh Tophic Sienu.

“I know there isn’t much money in the men’s game, but if they adopt women’s football clubs (it will help),” Suleman told FMIG.

“For instance Liberty sets up Liberty Ladies, because women’s football clubs mostly are owned by individuals. Their financial might isn’t much strong so they suffer a lot.

“Its like they’ve taken us as their adopted children and catering for us all this while.

“I know no club will sign us to play abroad for any big transfer fee, but taking us off the streets by playing football alone is a major social intervention,” she noted.

“One way to tackle teenage pregnancy and rape cases is by having women’s football clubs where you can house/accommodate players in a club house.

“Look at Hasaacas Ladies, Ampem Darkoa. Some won’t even play to the national level but engaging in women’s football will help mould them and project them to a certain extent.

“Sadly, most people do stuff in Ghana for financial gains primarily. But if they look at that, then it means the women’s football wont get the needed support.

“So I will plead with them to readily offer us the needed help,” Samira Suleman concluded.

Samira Suleman currently plies her trade at Icelandic club Víkingur Ólafsvík.