Maximising the power of the CRPD to effect disability inclusion in and through sport aligned with the Kazan Action Plan, WHOs Global Action Plan and the UN Action Plan for Sport for Development and Peace.

Tools and Templates to Facilitate Better Reporting on Physical Education, Physical Activity and Sport by State and Non-State Parties to the CRPD, the Universal Periodic Review Process and via Voluntary National Reviews.

Tuesday 11th June, 4.45-6.00pm in Conference room B

Proposer: UNESCO Chair in Inclusive Sport IT Tralee. Applicants: UNESCO / Permanent Mission of Ireland to the UN. Co-Sponsors: Division for Inclusive Social Development UNDESA; Permanent Missions of Monaco to the UN; Permanent Mission of San Marino to the UN; Permanent Mission of Brazil to the UN; Permanent Mission of Tunisia to the UN. Others: UN Women; Universal Fitness Innovation & Transformation (UFIT); the International Federation of Adapted Physical Activity (IFAPA); Disability in Sport International; Kerry Educational and Training Board.

This session will outline the current and ongoing work of the global sports movement to align with human rights treaty instruments including CRPD, in alignment with the SDGs. We want to improve the quality of reporting to the CRPD, the Universal Periodic Review Process and Voluntary National Reporting on the SDGs through the development of tools and templates to facilitate better reporting by state and non-state parties.  A briefing to the CRPD committee to this effect took place in UNOG on 27th March 2019. The sport sector is proactively examining the mechanisms by which it can support the realization of rights outlined in four treaty instruments through closer collaboration with Human Rights reporting bodies and SDG mechanisms at national and international levels. The four treaty instruments are the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the International Covenant on Economic Social and Cultural Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child. This side event will report on the inclusion of persons with disabilities in society through participation in cultural life, recreation, leisure and sports as reported in state reports. It will also provide an opportunity to preview the reporting tools that are under development to improve CRPD and UPR reporting.  These tools reflect the human rights contribution and enabling the realization of rights outlined in CRPD article 30.5 and transversally across Articles 6, 7, 9, 16, 19, 20, 24, 25, 26, 27, 31, 32 and 33 in and through sport.

Aim and Objectives

  1. Demonstrate how we can leverage global momentum and policy convergence in sport among state and non-state actors to advocate for the implementation of the CRPD as it relates to sport.
  2. Present the global actions that exemplify the current time as opportune for accelerated action on human rights in and through sport aligned with the implementation of the SDGs.
  3. Exemplify the key asks to the CRPD on Physical Education, Physical Activity and Sport (PEPAS).
  4. Present the reporting templates and advocacy tools relevant to the CRPD, and UPR on PEPAS currently under development.

Target Group: Governments, Multilateral agencies, UN Agencies, UN Interagency Taskforce, NGOs, CSOs.

Multi-stakeholder collaboration: The following organisations have been collaborating on this development aligned with Kazan Action Plan Action 1: UNESCO, UNESCO Chair, UN Women, Commonwealth Secretariat, the Centre for Sports and Human Rights, the International Olympic Committee, the International Paralympic Committee, Special Olympics International, The International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (ICSD), Deaflympics, Disability in Sport International, Inclusion4Development, Global Partnership for Children with Disabilities Physical Activity and Sport Taskforce, International Working Group On Women And Sport, Women’s Sport International, the Washington Group on Disability Statistics, IFAPA the International Federation of Adapted Physical Activity, FIEP the Fédération Internationale D’ Éducation Physique, IHRSA the International Fitness Industry Association, ICSSPE the International Council of Sport Science and Physical Education, ICCE the International Council for Coaching Excellence, The Global Network on Disability Inclusive and Accessible Urban Development (DIAUD), Sport Matters (Pacific, Asia, Africa and Indigenous Australia).

Context: The 2017 sixth International Conference of Ministers and Senior Officials Responsible for Physical Education and Sport (MINEPS VI), convened by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) was held in Kazan, Russian Federation in July 2017.  MINEPS VI adopted the Kazan Action Plan (KAP) “to facilitate international and multi-stakeholder policy convergence, ease international cooperation and foster capacity-building efforts of governmental authorities and sport organisations”.  Marking a shift from mere declarations of policy intent towards action, the KAP consists of five priority areas of multi-stakeholder cooperation at international, regional and national levels, as well as a MINEPS sport policy follow-up framework designed to measure progress. The sport policy follow-up framework is fully integrated within the SDG framework while embedding human rights at its core. It is structured around three main policy areas:

  1. Developing a comprehensive vision of inclusive access for all.
  2. Maximizing the contributions of sport to sustainable development and peace.
  3. Protecting the integrity of sport.
  • Protecting the integrity of sport.

The five specific policy areas of interest to inclusion of disability and gender and disability lens are:

I.5. Enforce gender equality/Empower girls and women

I.7. Foster empowerment and inclusive participation

II.4. Build peaceful, inclusive and equitable societies

II.6. Advance gender equality and empower all women and girls

III.2. Protect children, youth and other vulnerable groups

At its 37th session in the Human Rights Council adopted resolution 37/18 entitled ‘Promoting Human Rights through Sport and the Olympic Ideal’ acknowledged the Kazan Action Plan and particularly policy area III of its follow-up framework.  The renewed momentum by UNDESA to reinvigorate sport, within and beyond the UN system, together with UNESCO’s remit through MINEPS and its Intergovernmental Committee, CIGEPS, has resulted in definitive and positive progress in consolidating the commitment of the UN and other agencies in sport, including civic society and the private sector to the sustainable development agenda.

The United Nations General Assembly, at its 73rd session on 3 December 2018, adopted the resolution “Sport as an enabler of sustainable development” A/RES/73/24.  The resolution acknowledges the endorsement by the UNESCO General Conference of the KAP and the MINEPS sport policy follow-up framework as a voluntary, overarching reference for fostering international convergence amongst policy-makers in the fields of physical education, physical activity and sport, as well as a potential tool for aligning international and national policy in these fields.  Combined with the report of the UN Secretary-General “Strengthening the global framework for leveraging sport for development and peace” (A/73/325) , the resolution confirms the growing convergence around the KAP in the alignment of work on sport across the United Nations system, and the recognition by Member States of its potential as a pivot point for policy coordination.

Panel of speakers

Finian McGrath – Minister of State with Responsibility for Disability, Ireland

On taking office as Minister with Responsibility for Disability Issues in 2016, Finian McGrath held ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities as a key priority. The Minister is accountable for developing and articulating Government policy on improving the lives of people with disabilities and their carers through three Government Departments; Health, Social Protection and Justice & Equality. The Minister will also be focusing on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities as well as their Equality of Opportunity, Access to Early Childhood Care and Educational needs. The Minister is committed to implementing in full, Ireland’s first ever Carer’s Strategy.

Senator Romário de Souza Faria – Permanent Mission of Brazil to the United Nations

Romário de Souza Faria was born on January 29, 1966 in the favela of Jacarezinho, North Zone of Rio de Janeiro. Formerly a professional soccer player, with a tour of the main clubs in Brazil and the world, he is currently a senator. He entered the political career in 2010, when he was elected federal deputy. He decided to run after the birth of his youngest daughter, who has Down’s Syndrome. In the Brazilian congress, Romário had as its main flag the defense of people with disabilities, where he became a pioneer in the defense of people with rare diseases. In the Brazilian
National Team, he won the World Cup in 1994 and was voted best player in the world in the same year. In 1988, he won the silver medal in the Olympic Team at the Seoul Games. He is the third highest scorer in the Brazilian national team.

Catherine Carty – UNESCO Chair Manager ‘Transforming the Lives of People with Disabilities, their Families and Communities, Through Physical Education, Sport, Recreation and Fitness”

Catherine directs the strategic operations of the UNESCO Chair academic and research team ensuring it remains impact focused at policy and practice levels. She works to maximise the inclusive remit and impact of the Chair across the UN system, civic society, academia, governmental and non-governmental agencies. Catherine is coordinating a global response to the specific policy actions on intersectional inclusion in the Kazan Action Plan. She sits on the Open-Ended Working Group, technical group and steering committee on Model Indicators on Sport, Physical Activity and Physical Education and the SDGs. She is part of the WHO Monitoring Framework Development group for the Global Action Plan for Physical Activity and a WHO expert on disability inclusion in physical activity. She leads the development and global implementation of UFIT, iPEPAS, P2I- three UNESCO Chair programmes for inclusion physical education physical activity and sport.

Lily Gray – UNESCO, Senior Liaison Officer at UNESCO New York

Lily Gray is a Senior Liaison Officer at UNESCO New York Office where she is responsible for promoting UNESCO’s programmes in the fields of education, culture and social sciences. Her work focusses on the major global education related partnerships, improving relevance of the cognitive, behavioural and social skills of young people including through the education for sustainable development and global citizenship. She has supported the establishment the Secretary-General Global Education First Initiative launched in 2012. She also works for the advancement of the culture of peace and gender equality portfolios. Ms. Gray facilitates the dialogue with the member states’ representatives, and New York based UN entities for the successful implementation of the education related targets and goals, including through support for the SDG – Education 2030 Steering Committee.

Daniela Bas – Director of the Division for Inclusive Social Development, United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs

Ms. Daniela Bas, of Italian nationality, is the Director of the Division for Inclusive Social Development at the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs since May 2011.

In addition to her work at the United Nations from 1986 to 1995, she held managerial roles from 1996 until 2011 in the private sector in Italy and was, inter alia, adviser for the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and for the Presidency of the Council of Ministers on human rights and social affairs. Designated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Italy, she was a member of the Board of Directors of the European Union Agency of Fundamental Rights; Special Adviser to the Vice President of the European Commission (On. Frattini); at the European Union, she was representative on the topic “Tourism for All” on behalf of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers of her country.

Gerard Masdeu Yélamos – UNESCO Chair Researcher ‘Transforming the Lives of People with Disabilities, their Families and Communities, Through Physical Education, Sport, Recreation and Fitness”

Gerard Masdeu Yélamos is a researcher at the UNESCO Chair Institute of Technology Tralee (Ireland), social entrepreneur and sport enthusiast. He holds a MSc in Research, BSc in Psychology, a BSc in Sport Sciences. He is a PhD student at the National University of Ireland Maynooth and his research focuses on human rights in and through sport to leave no one behind. As part of his PhD research and work commitments, Gerard has engaged with human rights treaty bodies, with a view of supporting them to leverage their capacity to call for greater attention to provide opportunities to access sport and physical education. He also coordinates the Universal Fitness Innovation & Transformation (UFIT) initiative, a social change movement that is driving inclusive practice for the purposes of including people with disabilities and chronic conditions and other marginalised populations in sport and fitness operations.

David Legg – President of the International Federation of Adapted Physical Activity

David is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Physical and Health at Mount Royal University in Calgary. He is the Past President of the Canadian Paralympic Committee and past board member for the 2015 Pan Parapan American Games in Toronto. David has also served on the International Paralympic Committee’s Sport Science Committee and is incoming President of the International Federation of Adapted Physical Activity. More recently as a consultant, David worked with the Calgary BidCo for the 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Jennifer Cooper – UN Women, Knowledge Management Specialist

Jennifer has worked for UN Women, the United Nations organization dedicated to the promotion of gender equality globally, since 2000. Her work has led her to establish as diverse array of partnerships with a wide range of organizations. In partnership with governments, private sector and other United Nations organizations she has supported a tripling in the size of UN Women’s Latin America and Caribbean programme portfolio since 2015. During 2018 she served as the Global Coordinator of the Unstereotype Alliance, which brings together 35 of the world’s largest advertisers and agencies under a common umbrella to eliminate gender stereotypes from advertising. She is also a passionate believer in the power of sport to transform and has led UN Women’s partnership since 2012 with the International Olympic Committee, and more recently with FIFA – a partnership that was announced during the Women’s World Cup.

Lucy Ní Mhurchú – Gaelcholáiste Chiarraí Youth Representative & Kerry Education and Training Board

Lucy Ní Mhurchú is a student and youth representative from Gaelcholáiste Chiarraí, one of 8 Kerry Education and Training Board (ETB) Schools in Co. Kerry, Ireland.  Lucy brings the youth voice and advocates creating a culture of youth led initiatives.  Lucy enjoys participating in many activities including soccer, Gaelic football, basketball, taekwondo, fitness, sailing and Irish dancing. She is passionate about social justice and believes inclusion goes beyond acceptance of difference to equality of opportunity.

Eli Wolff – Co-Director, Disability in Sport International.

Eli curates this platform to fuel and magnify innovation, inclusion and social change through sport. He is the co-founder of the Sport and Society initiative at Brown University, and he is the Mentoring Coordinator at Partners for Youth with Disabilities based in Boston. From 2003 to 2008, Eli co-led a global effort to include provisions addressing sport and recreation within the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Eli contributed to the global coordination and mobilization network for the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace (IDSDP) on April 6 of each year as recognized by the United Nations. Eli was a member of the US Paralympic Soccer Team in the 1996 and 2004 Paralympic Games. Eli is a graduate of Brown University and has an MA in Olympic Studies from the German Sport University of Cologne.

Sarah Carney – UNESCO Chair Researcher ‘Transforming the Lives of People with Disabilities, their Families and Communities, Through Physical Education, Sport, Recreation and Fitness”

Sarah Carney is a researcher with the UNESCO Chair at the Institute of Technology Tralee. She holds an MSc in Human Rights and International Politics and a BA in History and Politics. She has worked at the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Ireland. Her research focuses on human rights reporting mechanisms, in particular the UN Human Rights Treaty Bodies and the Universal Periodic Review. Her work examines how to make these procedures and the intersections between sports and human rights understandable to human rights non-specialists especially physical education, physical activity and sports practitioners, and how to increase reporting by States on the implementation of human rights as they relate to sports.

I want to take human rights out of their box. I want to show the relevance of the universal principles of human rights to the basic needs of health, security, education and equality.

Mary Robinson

For further information

Email: Catherine.carty@ittralee.ie,  unesco@ittralee.ie

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