Roberto Martinez says football is being used for a good cause

Belgium manager Roberto Martinez has praised "important projects" for helping integrate refugees into the community.

Speaking during National Inclusion Week - a campaign to raise awareness of the importance of inclusion and diversity in the workplace - Martinez said projects encouraging diversity and integrating minorities into football is a "fascinating" way of using the sport.

The Spaniard highlighted a number of events held across Belgium and spoke of his satisfaction at the support UEFA and FIFA are offering towards the initiatives.

"At the moment there are four important projects from the Homeless World Cup where the federation supports the national homeless team and the national competition that there is around it, using football for a very good cause," he said.

"The refugee's programme is all the eight professional clubs in Belgium now helping with their coaching, bringing refugees in and trying to give them a route back into society.

"The second week of October, there is a seminar about inclusion and diversity in football in Belgium - something that has had a lot of support from UEFA and FIFA."

Martinez singled out a disability programme as producing impacts within the society.

"Probably the best programme I have seen that we are working with now is the disability competition," he said.

"We had a few events with players in the Red Devils with some of the players with disabilities that performed very, very well in the competition.

"It is almost a fascinating way of using football as good causes in society."