VIDEO: Bhawani Munda's football team perseveres despite no assistance

CNN-IBN's Real Heroes is celebrating ordinary women performing extraordinary service. Here the story of Real Hero Bhawani Munda and her football team from the Dooars in North Bengal, who are girls who persevere despite no equipment and zero encouragement.

India Women remain 52nd in FIFA Women World Rankings

The world football governing body earlier today released the latest FIFA Women's World Rankings after the end of the women's football competition at the 2012 Olympics. In the rankings the Indian Women remain 52nd ranked team in the world amongst 175 ranked nations, while amongst the 35 ranked Asian nations our India Women are 11th.

India currently have 1438 points in the rankings, the same as last month in which India are behind Ghana and ahead of Northern Ireland.

In the women's game the 2012 London Olympics gold medallist United States of America remain top of the rankings ahead of Germany and 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup winners Japan ahead of Brazil and France, who both gained a spot.

The next FIFA Women's World Rankings will be released on December 7, 2012.

AFC Under-19 Women's Cup: India to host qualifying group

The official draw for the AFC U-19 Women's Championship 2013 Qualifying Rounds 1 and 2 were conducted at AFC House in Kuala Lumpur today.

In the first round there are 12 participating nations. The eight participating Member Associations in the Central, South and West regions were drawn into two groups of four teams each, while the East/ASEAN zones already consist of Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, Myanmar and the Philippines.

Group A would be host by India besides whom Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Bangladesh make-up the group. Group B consists of Jordan, Iran, Tajikistan and Palestine with Jordan playing hosts for this group with both the qualifying groups set to be played between October 19 to 27, 2012.

Each group shall play a one-round league, where each team in the group shall play one match against every other team and the top two teams from each group (total six teams) will proceed to Qualifying Round 2 which will be held in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam between December 1-9, 2012. For Round 2, seventh-ranked Thailand have been drawn into Group A while Vietnam, ranked sixth, into Group B.


THE GROUPINGS

ROUND 1
Group A: India, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Bangladesh
Group B: Jordan, Iran, Tajikistan, Palestine
Group C: Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, Myanmar, Philippines

ROUND 2
Group A: Thailand, Team Ranked 4, Team Ranked 5, Team Ranked 8
Group B: Vietnam, Team Ranked 3, Team Ranked 6, Team Ranked 7

AFC, ANFA, Saathi join hands to highlight women’s empowerment

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC), All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) and Saathi, a non-governmental organisation working for violence against women in Nepal, have joined hands to highlight women's empowerment through football during the AFC Challenge Cup 2012 to be played in Kathmandu from March 8 to 19.

The opening of the eight-nation competition coincides with the International Women's Day and the tournament will be used as a platform to promote the campaign – 'Our goal: Stop Violence Against Women'.

The campaign will see banners being unfurled and the participating teams pledging their support to stop domestic violence. For the first time, children from Saathi's sheltered homes will also have an opportunity to escort the players before the start of every match.

A friendly football event will be organised between street children in Kathmandu residing in Saathi's shelters and the children of Voice of Children on March 9 at the ANFA Complex.

The event will be inaugurated by FIFA President Sepp Blatter in the presence of AFC Acting President Zhang Jilong, ANFA President Ganesh Thapa, Nepal's Minister for Youth and Sports, Ms Kamala Roka and Saathi President Bandana Rana.

In addition, a drama to highlight gender-based violence and football as a social tool for change — enacted by the boys from the ANFA Academy and the girls from Saathi shelter — will be staged at the Rastriya Nach Ghar on March 11.

The organisations believe the spirit of Fair Play should be practised not only in the field, but also at home and in the society in order to ensure a violence-free society, where women are treated with equal respect and dignity.

This is a crucial time to celebrate the struggle for women's rights in the economic, social, political and cultural domain and to highlight women's achievements throughout the world.