Footballers join national campaign against gender-based violence

Four Maltese footballers have today joined a collaborative campaign, along with the Malta Football Association and the President’s Foundation for the Wellbeing of Society, to stop gender-based violence.

In response to statistics from CrimeMalta Annual Review that cases of domestic violence have risen from 450 in 2008 to 1,272 last year, strikers Michael Mifsud and Alfred Effiong, defender Andrei Agius and goalkeeper Andrew Hogg are participating in a video-message which aims to assert that there are no winners when such violence occurs. International referee Trustin Farrugia Cann and Gabriella Zahra from the national women’s team also participated in the video which strives to motivate the public to eradicate such violence.

President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca said “Together with the Malta Football Association and the President’s Foundation for the Wellbeing of Society, I am spearheading the #StopGenderViolence campaign because I am convinced we must target public at large in tackling all issues related to gender-based violence in Malta”, as she thanked the players for joining the cause.

The MFA ’s support of the campaign will not be limited to the video, as it will actively support it on dedicated Malta Premier League match days throughout the season by raising awareness on the issue.

MFA President Norman Darmanin Demajo reiterated the association’s full support and said that football was a powerful tool which could promote good causes and raise public awareness regarding important issues in society.

Several iniatives, back by the UN, will be taking place around the world to target gender-based violence, and Malta’s campaign is also receiving support from the Football Action week, an international effort organised by the Football Against Racism in Europe which is backed by UEFA.