Estonia levelling the playing field, including more girls and women in football

This article is part of our special report TARGET – youth football players as ambassadors for gender equality.

Estonia is making strong efforts to improve gender equality in football through strategies aimed at increasing the number of female coaches and players.

In 2023, the country scored 60.2 points out of 100 on the Gender Equality Index, ranking 22nd in the European Union. The result stands well below the bloc’s average, and overall progress is considered sluggish.

To improve its score, the Estonian Football Association (EJL) is one of the coordinators of the EU’s TARGET football project, aiming at reducing gender inequalities using football as a tool.

Good practices evolving

Under this project, the EJL is adopting a couple of proven practices, which include increasing the number of educated female coaches and promoting girls’ football through camps.

The new approach involves women’s coach development consisting of a course designed for women who aspire to become coaches. It focuses on recruiting and educating new female coaches and enhancing the representation of women in football.

Thirty-seven women graduated from last year’s programme, and some of them have already progressed to higher-level coaching courses, increasing the pool of qualified female coaches and inspiring more women to pursue football careers.

“This progress supports the development of more inclusive and representative football environments, offering young girls role models and mentors who understand their journey,” EJL representatives told Euractiv.

In collaboration with Euronics, the football association and 10 Estonian clubs organise football camps to introduce girls from 7-12 years old to the sport, cultivating healthy movement habits.

Girls participate in daily sports activities during these four-day camps, along with one day dedicated to outings or excursions. They also have the chance to meet members of the women’s national team.

The collaboration is seen as instrumental in encouraging young girls to engage with the sport in a fun, supportive, and confidence-building environment. These camps have become a welcoming space for girls to create lasting connections with peers.

In August, the EJL hosted the country’s first-ever women’s football conference, bringing together experts from Estonia and abroad to discuss some of the most pressing issues related to the sport.

Stark imbalances evident

According to FIFA’s Member Associations Survey Report 2023, Estonia counts a total of 95 female coaches, constituting 12 per cent of the total 783 registered coaches in the country.

There are only 60 licensed referees (16 per cent) out of 371 in total, while there are 516 registered female players over the age of 20 and 1061 registered female players under the age of 20.

“We aim to bring more girls into football, thereby increasing the number of female participants. This will help us achieve a more balanced ratio of players (boys vs. girls) and create a more inclusive football community,” EJL representatives told Euractiv.

Their efforts are not going unnoticed. The “Everyone Plays” (Kõik mängivad) video, launched in November, garnered a positive response from the Estonian football fans, indicating the society’s goodwill for change.

It highlights the diverse individuals involved in football–from national team players, referees, and coaches to futsal players and those who play for the sheer joy of the game.

“We have learned how to address and target gender bias more consciously, ensuring that our initiatives are more focused and effective in promoting equality in football and society as well,” EJL representatives reflected on lessons learned from the project.

Future goals on target

Although Estonia has a robust legislative framework and institutional mechanisms for gender equality, gaps in implementation, resource allocation, and data dissemination hinder progress.

Since 2016, gender equality has been integrated into the Welfare Development Plan.

The updated plan for 2023-2030 emphasises economic equality, women’s participation in decision-making, societal attitude shifts, and institutional capacity-building.

A draft law also aims to merge the Gender Equality Act and the Equal Treatment Act, expanding protections to other groups, such as disabled individuals, and broadening the Gender Equality and Equal Treatment Commissioner’s powers.

Eliminating violence against women and girls, promoting women’s rights in the workplace, advancing the financial inclusion of women, and addressing discriminatory norms and stereotypes are considered top priorities for gender equality in Estonia.

However, to properly address gender equality, the country needs a public debate and clear guidelines, reducing self-censorship and improving the understanding of related issues.

An in-depth study by the Estonian Research Council recommends more efforts to raise awareness about the issue of integrating gender equality principles into institutional activities.

It calls for reducing prejudice through training to challenge biases against gender equality measures, considering a national incentive package to encourage institutions to adopt gender equality policies and practices.

[Edited By Brian Maguire | Euractiv's Advocacy Lab ]