How the ‘Guard Your Rights’ Campaign Protects Female Footballers and Their Babies

On the eve of the Women's Football World Cup, the prestigious magazine Panenka, the shin guard manufacturer Flekick and the footballers' association FUTPRO, present the 'Guard Your Rights' campaign, an initiative created by the agency Ogilvy Madrid to draw attention to maternity in women's football through the only shin guards that protect the players and their babies.

According to the recent study presented by FUTPRO, which asked professional players about motherhood in football, 46% stated that they are concerned about getting pregnant due to the possible repercussions from their club. More than 60% are afraid that their contract will end and more than 40% think they would be discriminated against when playing. And most importantly, 100% believe that clubs need to promote changes and implement actions for reconciliation between family and work.

“The time has come for women's football to take bigger steps in important issues like maternity and to establish sustainable bases that allow players to have that peace of mind in such an important area for many women. A woman's body is not the same as a man's. We need this gender perspective for women's football to reach its full potential. Actions like the one we have done with Panenka and Flekick help us give visibility to this problem that currently exists in the football industry and bring the public closer to the players' problem," said Amanda Gutiérrez,president of FUTPRO.

"Football must be used as a platform to create a better society," points out Álex López,CEO of Panenka. "Over all these years we have carried out initiatives against racism, homophobia or climate change. In 2023, when football played by women is starting to be where it deserves, we must continue fighting to make it visible, and we must fight to conquer all their rights: maternity is a real obstacle for the development of the players' careers who do not have that right protected and projects like 'Guard Your Rights' are essential to achieve it.”

For the first time, the #130 summer magazine has dedicated its 116 pages to women's football with a special feature on the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

Why shin guards?

Shin guards are the only object that protects players on the field. The 'Guard your Rights' shin guards will also protect them off the field. Hand in hand with the manufacturer Flekick, a model has been designed in which some of the necessary clauses to achieve an agreement that properly regulates maternity in football can be read. A percentage of the sales of these shin guards, which can be purchased in specialized stores, will go to finance measures and projects that guarantee the protection of maternity in football.

Lluis Valls, CEO of Flekickl says, “We have always been clear that the protagonists are the athletes. We revolutionized the world of shin guards, creating a unique product to protect the players and through this project we want to go a step further looking for protection both inside and outside the field. Brands have the obligation to get involved in initiatives that help society.”

The creators of the campaign, Marc Xifré and Víctor Vázquez, creative directors of Ogilvy Madrid, underline, “Women's football is evolving very quickly, and we need that evolution to be in all areas. Unfortunately, motherhood has not been one of those areas of focus. With 'Guard Your Rights' we want the organisations to listen to the players and reach an agreement that protects them when it comes to being mothers