Sport as a Human Right?
Millions of people all over the world are affected by forced displacement due to conflicts, human rights violations, harassment, national disasters, and climate change. According to UNHCR, there are now more than 84 million refugees and displaced people around the world.
About 14,200 applications for international protection were lodged by unaccompanied minors in EU+ countries representing 3% of the total 485,000 asylum applications in 2020.
Source: UNHCR
In our new position paper “Sport as a Human Right?” we highlight the impact sport initiatives can have on the inclusion and lives of refugees.
Under the aegis of Erasmus+ programme, European Solidarity Corps programme, and/or Council of Europe funds via European Youth Foundation, a great number of organisations across Europe use sport as a tool of protection, well-being and social inclusion of refugees, thus upholding and strengthening the full essence of key European values such as respect for Human Rights, solidarity, equality, non-discrimination, intercultural dialogue and tolerance.
For the reasons mentioned in the position paper, sport and the social, educational and cultural dimensions it espouses, guides and allows the human being the realisation of several rights and liberties while working to build cohesive societies.
As such, Sport should be considered a Human Right on its own.
