In the coming weeks, the Centre for Sport and Human Rights will publish Responsible Sport, our strategy for 2026–2030. The roots of this refreshed strategy go back a decade — to three days in November 2015, in Glion, Switzerland, when the question of whether sport could better address its human rights impacts was put to a room of diverse stakeholders representing a range of institutions and governments.

Ten years on, from that pivotal meeting, six participants in the original meeting join our COO William Rook to reflect on what has changed, what has proven more resistant to change than anticipated, and what the next decade requires.

Featuring:

Mary Harvey - CEO, Centre for Sport and Human Rights

William Rook - COO, Centre for Sport and Human Rights

John Morrison - Former CEO of the Institute for Human Rights and Business

Rémy Friedman - Senior Advisor on BHR, Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs

Philip Jennings - Former General Secretary of UNI Global Union

Minky Worden - Director of Global Initiatives, Human Rights Watch

Lucy Amis - Special Advisor, Centre for Sport and Human Rights

Michael K Addo - Professor of Law, University of Notre Dame

This episode of the sport and rights podcast 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.

Featuring:

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, CEO, Centre for Sport and Human Rights

Sandra Kirby, Olympian and Founding Member of 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, 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 roles 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.

Featuring:

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 León - 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' Comission of the National Olympic Committee of Suriname