Reigning European and Icelandic handball champions, Valur women’s team, have stepped into the spotlight not only for their sporting achievements but also for their leadership in the global fight for gender equality.
The Reykjavík-based club is the first team in Iceland to join March Forward, an international campaign launched by UN Women Iceland earlier this year. The campaign highlights the setbacks women face in gender equality worldwide. Its symbolism is stark: participants take a few steps backwards to acknowledge regression, before marching forward together to represent solidarity and progress.
Valur’s champions recorded their own march and challenged the club’s men’s football team to follow. The move has already gained momentum within the country’s sporting community, inspiring the National Olympic and Sports Association of Iceland (ÍSÍ) – whose president, board, and CEO also shared their own march.
Willum Þór Þórsson, President of ÍSÍ, praised the initiative:
“We have influence. We shape attitudes. We create role models and can stand together against gender-based inequality and violence. We encourage everyone within the movement – teams, athletes, and volunteers – to contribute and support this important cause.”
A Global Report with Local Resonance
The Icelandic effort comes as a new UN Women and UNESCO handbook, supported by the governments of Iceland and Australia, exposes the scale of gender-based violence in sport.
Key findings include:
- 21% of professional women athletes experienced sexual violence as children in sport — double the rate of men.
- Women athletes with disabilities are three times more likely to suffer violence.
- Reports of domestic violence rise during major events such as the FIFA World Cup.
- Many women athletes avoid reporting abuse for fear of retaliation or damage to their careers.
Stella Samúelsdóttir, Executive Director of UN Women Iceland, says Icelandic athletes can play a vital role in changing attitudes:
“When European champions like Valur take a stand, it sends a clear message to young athletes and to the sports world: equality must be part of the game.”
Iceland Punching Above Its Weight
Though a small nation, Iceland has often been recognised internationally for its progressive stance on equality. By placing one of its most successful sports teams at the centre of a global campaign, Iceland is again punching above its weight — using sport not just to win trophies but to drive social change.
The March Forward campaign now calls on sports clubs worldwide to join the movement, record their marches, and challenge others. With Valur leading the way, Iceland has once again set an example that may ripple far beyond its shores.