The International Platform on Sport and Development (sportanddev), with a range of global partners, has launched a campaign on Reshaping Sport and Development. This global movement aims to sustain and strengthen the sport for development sector and address existing inequities.
Our countries and communities have always been unequal. However, COVID-19 has increased inequities, with marginalised groups and individuals being worst affected. At the same time, the sport and development sector is itself unequal. Women, people with disabilities, people in low- and middle-income countries, ethnic minorities and other marginalised groups are underrepresented in leadership positions, and they have less influence on policy and decision making. This is not an exhaustive list and there are many inequities across cultures and contexts.
This campaign aims to increase equity, access and inclusion in sport and development. This will improve collaboration between organisations and increase the recognition of sport’s role in development. It will also improve sport’s impact and contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and other priorities. There is a need to reshape sport to better serve all in society – leaving no-one behind – and demonstrate the contribution of sport and physical activity at this critical time, including in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
sportanddev is launching a call for articles on reshaping sport and development. We aim to make this the biggest and most impactful call for articles ever hosted by sportanddev.
We welcome submissions on a range of topics and questions such as:
- How can we address existing inequities in sport and development?
- How can we ensure that sport and development is more diverse, accessible and inclusive?
- How can we ensure that marginalised groups and regions have a greater voice?
- How can sport better serve society and contribute more effectively to development and peace?
- How can sport better tackle issues of discrimination, including racism and gender equity?
- What is the role of good governance? How can sport actors be more accountable?
- How can sport better contribute to the SDGs, including specific goals and targets?
- Can we better measure the value of sport and development initiatives? How?
- Can sport be used to respond to crises such as COVID-19 and the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine (among many others)?
- What is the role of sport in tackling the climate crisis?
- What have been the learnings and challenges for the sport and development sector during the COVID-19 crisis? How can these provide better direction to the sector in the future?
- How can sport improve the mental health and wellbeing of societies, which has been particularly affected by COVID-19?
- How can sport and development initiatives use digital literacy and online mediums to better support their work? What role does technology play in this regard?
- How do the different forms of sport (e.g. elite vs. grassroots) play their part?
NB: These are simply guiding questions and are by no means exhaustive. We welcome any submissions that relate to the topic of Reshaping Sport and Development, across thematic areas.
We received 55 articles from across the globe in 2020 related to Reimagining Sport and Development. You can view all these here and the webinar recording here. We also produced a report which identifies 10 key themes that emerged from the articles. You are welcome to use the articles and report as inspiration. We are looking to build on the findings of the 2020 report to identify concrete actions that organisations in the sector can work on collaboratively.
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