'Refs for Change' is relevant in the Glass category because uses the power of social media to hijack the most important football tournament in the world to fight for women's rights in education, business, and sexual health. For decades, sports have been a male-dominated territory. Morocco is no exception, as a strict Muslim country with tough regulations and scarce opportunities for women. According to the UN, violence against women and girls is widespread across the country; fear of stigmatization and conservative cultural norms prevent most survivors from reporting it. 'Refs for Change' put in front of the country's eyes - especially men, who are generally considered the strongest football fans - the most relevant data about inequality against women, disguised in sports language which otherwise would be impossible for them to realize it.

Although the MENA region has documented incremental progress, the pace is not fast enough to catch up to the rest of the world. Gender gaps are still prevalent within households and careers, and one in three women within the region have experienced or been at risk of experiencing physical or sexual abuse in their lifetime (Source: Plan International)

Moroccan non-profit organisation that champions women's rights, female education and individual liberties within the wider MENA region, "Mouvement Alternatif pour les Libertés Individuelles" also known as M.A.L.I. wanted to use a global stage with the most number of eyeballs to bring the conversation back. The opportunity presented itself when a new era for women in sport was unleashed by the FIFA World Cup for men's first female referees Stephanie Frappart, Yamashita Yoshimi, and Salima Mukansanga. M.A.L.I ensured that they went beyond football and also acted as "Refs for Change" by drawing attention to the patriarchical system and male domination.

Every time one of the female referees blows the whistle during a World Cup 2022 match, M.A.L.I. tweets in real time to highlight women who have pioneered and succeeded in other male- dominated fields. The goal was to hijack the conversation around football and turn the spotlight towards alarming statistics on the perils that women go through, statistics that would otherwise remain in the shadows.

Although the MENA region has documented incremental progress, the pace is not fast enough to catch up to the rest of the world. Gender gaps are still prevalent within households and careers, and one in three women within the region have experienced or been at risk of experiencing physical or sexual abuse in their lifetime (Source: Plan International). With over a billion people tuning in to the FIFA World Cup online, the time to grab the centerstage for change was most apt for M.A.L.I. then.

The campaign focused on grabbing the attention of young adults irrespective of gender who spent time on social media specially to debate over the football matches in real time. The end goal? Have them ponder over the impact their voice has, to bring change as a collective. M.A.L.I's tweets ignited the spark for dialogue and the people took it forward.

Launched on the occassion of the '16 days of activism against sex-based violence' on December2nd, M.A.L.I tweeted in real time about women's empowerment exactly when the history-making female referees blew their whistles during the game to make the world's biggest stars stop in their tracks or run again to score. This was done by using the visual language of football analytics, which camouflaged important facts about trailblazing women across the world. The tweets however served a larger purpose beyond spreading awareness. It also allowed the audience on Twitter to take part in a healthy social debate about women's rights, sex-based discrimination and served as donation boxes to support the cause. The campaign highlighted another whistle largely unknown and women wish they didn't need: The symbolic "feminist whistle" used to draw attention to themselves in case of an imminent threat from sexual predators. The campaign ran for 3 matches until December18th.

Besides sports, the campaign made visible the overlooked female representation in male-dominated fields such as science, medicine, politics, human rights, education, and technology, making women visible to men who were concentrated in sports. The brand awareness of M.A.L.I. increased by 300% with a $0 media investment, taking over the World Cup Social Media in Morocco and making visible topics like gender equality and gender representation in a space that was only reserved for big brands.