Nepal Sports Journalists Forum (NSJF) and the Association of Nepalese Alumni from Australia (ANAA) played a friendly football match on Saturday to mark the beginning of the 16-day long campaign to end violence against women.

NSJF, the umbrella organisation of sports journalists throughout the country, won the match 3-1 at the ANFA Complex, Satdobato.

The hour-long match featured mixed gender teams at both ends.

The event was organised by Saathi, a non-governmental organisation, in association with the Australian Embassy Nepal, NSJF, ANAA and the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA).

"We chose football to start our campaign because it is the most popular game in the country and teams comprising both male and female players represent equality and co-existence between the genders," said Saathi president Sajani Amatya.

Saathi's former president Bandana Rana recalled that the football governing body announced equal salary for both male and female national players under the initiation of Saathi and added, "There have been a lot of changes in terms of gender equality at ANFA since we first started partnership in 2011. In terms of today's match outcome, there will be a winner and a loser. But our goal today is a message of fair play not only on the ground but everywhere and a commitment against violence against women."

Australian ambassador to Nepal Felicity Volk said she was saddened by the fact that violence against women was still prevalent in society despite decades of effort to end it. "This year marks the 30th anniversary of the 16-day violence against women campaign. Every third woman is still facing gender-based violence whether it is in Australia or Nepal. Let's stop violence against women and girls," she said.

Saathi president Amatya said everyone must work together to eradicate gender-based violence. “The inclusion of both male and female in a single team would impart the message of gender co-existence and equality," said Amatya.

ANFA has been involved in the violence against women campaign in association with Saathi for the past several years.

"While women players are fighting for equal pay in the United States, we have been able to provide equal salary to male and female players under Saathi's initiation," ANFA General Secretary Indra Man Tuladhar said. "I also promise to hold the women's football league as big and lengthy as their male counterpart in the coming days. We will be actively involved in any activity concerning violence against women."