The United Nations human rights and sport for development and peace framework

"The practice of physical educa­tion and sport is a fundamental right for all."

—UNESCO International Charter

of Physical Education and Sport,

article 1

A rights-based understanding of sport and physical activity has been present since thefounding of the United Nations. In 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights set out a framework of rights and duties and recognized that "Everyone has the right to rest and lei­sure . . ." (article 24); "Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality . . ." (article 26); and "Everyone has the right to freely participate in the cultural life of the community . . ." (article 27).¹⁴

Sport and physical activity were first specifically recognized as a human right in the International Charter of Physical Education and Sport, adopted in 1978 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The Charter states: "One of the essential conditions for the effec-

tive exercise of human rights is that everyone should be free to develop and preserve his or her physical, intel­lectual, and moral powers, and that access to physical education and sport should consequently be assured and guaranteed for all human beings."¹⁵

The Convention on the Rights of the Child, adopted in 1989, also supports the notion of sport and physical educa­tion as a human right. In article 29 (1), States parties agreed that the educa­tion of the child shall be directed to "the development of the child's personality, talents and mental and physical abilities to their fullest potential".¹⁶

The adoption of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2006 marked a significant step forward in the policy framework on sport for people with disabilities. The Convention affirms the right of persons with disabilities to par­ticipate in mainstream and disability-specific sporting activities at all levels and to have equal access to training, resources, venues and services. It also affirms the right of children with dis­abilities to have equal access to recre­ation and sporting activities, including those in the school system.¹⁷ The spe­cific focus on equality between women and men and women with disabilities in this new Convention will benefit women and girls in sport.¹⁸

Over the past decade, there has been a growing understanding that access to and participation in sport and physical education is not only a right in itself, but can also be used to promote a number of important development goals through facilitating democratic principles, promoting leadership devel­opment, and encouraging tolerance and respect, as well as providing access to opportunities and social networks. All areas of development can be influenced by sport, including health, education, employment, social inclusion, political development and peace and security.

Sport has the potential to contrib­ute to the achievement of each of the United Nations Millennium Develop­ment Goals (MDGs) in unique and

creative ways. Women play an integral role in the achievement of every MDG, and every MDG is vital to gender equal­ity and women's empowerment. In 2002, the Secretary-General con­vened the United Nations Inter-Agency Task Force on Sport for Development and Peace to encourage a more coher­ent approach to the use of sport-related initiatives in the pursuit of development goals, particularly at the community

level, and to promote the use of sport as a recognized tool in development. The Task Force report Sport as a tool for development and peace: Towards achieving the United Nations Millen­nium Development Goals provides an overview of the growing role that sport activities play in many United Nations policies and programmes and summa­rizes the lessons learned. The report concludes that sport programmes must