Memorandum of Understanding among the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Georgia Country Office, Georgian Football Federation and FC Locomitive Tbilisi was renewed on June 26, 2020.  The Memorundum was signed by Lela Bakradze, Head of the United Nations Population Fund Georgia Country Office, Levan Kobisahvili, President of Georgian Football Federation and Giorgi Kipiani, Technical Director of FC Locomotive Tbilisi.   The first Memorundum among these organizations was signed in 2018.  Renewal of the Memorandum based on trilateral agreement highlights the importance of the longstanding cooperation among the United Nations Population Fund Georgia Office (UNFPA), Georgian Football Federation and Locomitive Tbilisi football club.

According to the Memorandum, football players supported by the Football Federation and Tbilisi Locomotive shall participate in the UNFPA activities aimed at gender equality and healthy lifestyle promotion and increasing of men’s participation in MenCare campaign.

The cooperation also envisages creation of incentives for involvement of girls into football, equality of genders in sports and equal opportunities for young girls and boys.   Trainings based on the UNFPA developed and tested methodology shall be offered to trainers, referees and players in order to increase their gender sensitivity and awareness. 
“Cooperation with the Georgian Football Federation and FC Locomotive Tbilisi gives the UNFPA a unique opportunity to further strengthen our work in several priority directions,”- says Lela Bakradze, Head of UNFPA Georgia.  “Football continues to be one of the most popular sports in Georgia and, therefore, footballers are the roles models for many young people.  We think that their involvement and support to gender equality, partnership and allying of our organizations shall play its crucial role in the process of building a more equal society.” 

“Together with the UNFPA we are implementing a number of important social projects.  I have mentioned repeatedly that football is a great social event.  This cooperation creates an opportunity to facilitate equal involvement of girls and boys in football, to promote girls’ football and increase involvement of men in advancement of gender equality.  I am convinced that together we shall implement many more interesting projects in future”- says Levan Kobiashvili.  

According to Giorgi Kipiani, “FC Locomotive Tbilisi is prepared to continue its active support to gender equality and promotion of girls’ football.  Locomotive Academy trains girls and boys together until they achieve a certain age which we believe is a strong precondition for bringing up persons free of stereotypes and equal in life and on the field.”
Cooperation among the United Nation’s Population Fund (UNFPA) Georgia CO, Georgian Football Association and FC Locomotive Tbilisi resulted in many interesting initiatives. Since 2017, they jointly organize now traditional “Fathers’ Cup”.  In 2018, in cooperation with the UNFPA, Levan Kobiashvili, in the framework of an Guest of Horoe Official Programme at Frankfurt Book Fair, introduced MenCare Georgia campaign, while in 2019, Giorgi Kipiani made a relevant speech as a member of the Georgian official delegation at Nairobi Summit.  Since 2018, the Federation and club managers together with their football players actively participate in the UNFPA events and campaigns.