Shortlist Spotlight: Sport for Equality Award

This week’s Shortlist Spotlight focuses on programs that are using sport to break down social and political barriers to offer sport-for-all. Using sport in areas where there are gender, racial or economic divisions can bring people together and create a level playing field.

This category has been aligned with two of the Sustainable Development Goals. Firstly SDG 5: Gender Equality aims to create equal opportunities for men and women in and through sport. Women’s football is the fastest growing sport in the world, and recently UEFA announced a bold strategy to make women’s football the number one played sport in Europe. Programs working toward SDG 5 would achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.

SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities, is a more all-encompassing approach to equality. This SDG recognises other divisions in society and programs using sport to achieve SDG 10 are focussed on reducing barriers to participation for marginalized groups.

This category received almost double the entries of any other category, and it was a difficult decision for our global judging panel to select the shortlist. Those programs shortlisted are:

Colourful Girls Volleyball Circles - Girl Determined, Myanmar

Girl Determined facilitates girls' recognition of their personal and group potential. In Myanmar, they are sparking a movement of girls with leadership skills to advocate for their own rights and a future that does not re-create the risks they now face. Emerging from 50 years of military repression, Myanmar is at a critical juncture for affecting change. Girl Determined brings together adolescent girls from diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds to grow their access to education, health knowledge, participation in decision-making and personal development.

Hockey is for Everyone – NHL & NHLPA, USA & Canada

The Hockey is for Everyone initiative aims to effectuate substantive, positive behavioral change for players, employees, fans and other key stakeholders. The implementation of this objective takes myriad forms, including marketing, internal education, aligning key stakeholders, grant-making, youth sports programming, social media and more. The NHL designated February as Hockey is for Everyone month to reaffirm that the official policy of the sport is one of inclusion on the ice, in our locker rooms and in the stands.  Year-round, support continues for non-profit youth and minor hockey organizations across North America that are committed to offering underprivileged and disadvantaged children an opportunity to play hockey.

Rurka Kalan - YFC Rurka Kalan, India

YFC Rurka Kalan’s programmes address girls belonging to the lowest caste groups, facing issues such as gender discrimination including female foeticide, low literacy rates, rampant social ostracism and low incomes. YFC’s goal is to empower underprivileged children and youth to have a sustainable lifestyle. Sport is used firstly as a hook to ensure participation and inclusion. Secondly it is used as a tool for experiential learning for bringing about changes in certain behaviours and practices. Every session of play is designed to give positive experiences ending with a reflection exercise drawing attention to a social message woven into the session.

Sainsburys Inclusive PE Training (IPE) Programme, English Federation of Disability Sport, UK

The Inclusive PE Training Programme aims to create equal opportunity in Physical Education to promote physical, social and mental well-being for disabled children. Participation rates of disabled young people in PE across the UK are consistently lower than their non-disabled peers, yet it is vitally important that all young people have a positive experience of PE if they are to remain active for life and enjoy the social benefits that taking part in sport can offer. The programme focusses on improving PE provision for all young people by providing free training and resources to support teachers, trainee teachers and school staff.