Sport and Rights

This episode brings together experts, academics and practitioners to discuss the implications of a new report of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to the Human Rights Council (HRC). The Report advances the discussion around the rights of persons with disabilities to participation in sport under article 30 of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).

In this podcast, Amy Farkas Karageorgos, Advisor to the Centre on Child and Disability Rights, sits down with four leaders that have been involved with drafting the report and who are working to advance article 30:

- Facundo Chavez Penillas, Human Rights and Disability Advisor, OHCHR

- Eli Wolff, Director, Disability in Sport International and the Power of Sport Lab

- Juan Pablo Salazar, Governing Board Member, International Paralympic Committee

- Susan Masila, Manager of Government Relations and Global Development for Special Olympics Africa Region

- Shalel Tennah, Special Olympics Athlete from Kenya

With 2020 set to be one of the hottest years on record, climate change is bringing harsher heatwaves, heavier rain and fire risks among other threats. Playing and watching sport in 2021 will be increasing challenging. Long-term climate change will potentially increase migration, driving increased human rights abuses, racism and discrimination.

In sport, the effects will not be evenly spread. Damage to playing surfaces, buildings and infrastructure, heat exhaustion, impact injuries from harder surfaces, potentially harmful algal blooms for water sports will all disproportionately affect the poor and young.

Featuring Mary Harvey, CEO of the Centre for Sport and Human Rights and Mary Robinson, Chair of the Centre for Sport and Human Rights.

In this episode we look into how women in sport have been leading change in these challenging times, what progresses we have made as society towards gender equality in sports, structural barriers that remain, and effective measures to level the playing field for women and girls in sport.

Featuring:

- Mary Harvey, Centre for Sport and Human Rights

- Sandra Kirby, Safe Sport International

- Amanda Vandervort, Chief Women's Football Officer at FIFPRO

- Gabriela Matus Bonilla, IOC Young Leader and member of the IOC's Women in Sport Commission

In this, our sixth and final episode, we look toward the future and are reminded of the value and beauty that sport and play provide not only to millions of children around the world, but also to the ideals of cooperation, community, competition and peace.

Featuring:

- Mary Harvey, Centre for Sport and Human Rights

-Kirsty Burrows, Sports Rights Solutions

- Dr Najat Malla M’jid, United Nations

- Elda Moreno, Council of Europe

- Dr Chungwon Choue, World Taekwondo

On this episode our guests discuss the important role that sport plays in the lives of children with disabilities and observations on the specific impacts that the restriction in access to sport is having

Featuring:

Mary Harvey, Centre for Sport and Human Rights

Kirsty Burrows, Sports Rights Solutions

Dr Cheri Blauwet, Harvard Medical School

Charles Nyambe, Special Olympics Africa

eSport has seen exponential growth over the past few years and the pandemic has only increased its rise in popularity. In this episode, we discuss gaming's enormous reach and explore both the challenges, such as online safety and increased screen time, as well as its power for social change, education and the opportunity for connection during a time of isolation.

- Mary Harvey Centre for Sport and Human Rights

- Kirsty Burrows Sports Rights Solutions

- Boban Totovsk iInternational eSports Federation

- Oliver Weingarten LDN UTD

- Josianne Galea Baron UNICEF

- Alfonso Leon International eSport Lawyer

In this third episode of the special podcast series on Children, Sport and Covid-19, we will discuss the critical importance of the voice of the child, the need for role models and other persons of support for young athletes, and the necessity for safe and smart training plans as young people gradually return to sport.

Featuring:

Mary Harvey - Centre for Sport and Human Rights

Kirsty Burrows - Sports Rights Solutions

Philippe Furrer - insPoweredBy

Kirtie Algoe - Athletes’ Commission of the National Olympic Committee of Suriname

This episode continues the conversation started in episode one concerning the impacts associated with the absence of sport and that impact on children. Today we look specifically at the impacts felt by children in humanitarian situations, as well as the difficulties faced by sport for development programs.

This episode looks at how the absence of sport is impacting both the physical and mental well - being of children all around the world from feelings of isolation, loss of team dynamic or just the lack of physical activity, children are grappling to figure out this new normal.

Featuring:

Mary Harvey - Centre for Sport and Human Rights

Kirsty Burrows - Sports Rights Solutions

Dr. David McDuff - Maryland University

Dr. Annie Sparrow - World Health Organisation

Dr. Yetsa Tuakli-Wosornu - Yale School of Public Health

In April 2020 the Centre for Sport and Human Rights led a call for experts and practitioners in child rights, protection, and safeguarding in sport to come together to consider the Sports-Related Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Children. A paper of the same name was subsequently published in June 2020.This 6-part Centre for Sport and Human Rights Podcast Series is a continuation of this initiative, seeking to bring together experts and practitioners from around to the world to discuss in depth the evolution of the sports-related impacts of COVID-19 on children as the world continues to grapple with this pandemic and the particular crisis it presents to young people around the world.