organizational implications of a declaration for human rights in sports
TRANSCRIPT
Organizational Implications of a Declaration of
Human Rights in Sport
Per SvenssonKwame Agyemang
Louisiana State University
2016 Ali Athletes and Social Change Forum
Introduction Sport associated with
promotion and deprivation of human rights (Donnelly, 2008)
Declaration of Human Rights in Sport Sound in Theory, but what
about in Practice?
Organizational Perspective can inform development and implementation of a more meaningful policy document
Levels of Threats to Athletes
Athlete
Individual
Relational
Organizational
Source: Mountjoy et al., 2015
Themes of Human Rights• Participation, Association, Expression, OrganizingFreedom
• From Violence and DiscriminationProtection• Due Process and Inclusive Access to Facilities + OpportunitiesAccess
• Solidarity and Distributive JusticeEquality• Opportunities for physical, psychological, and social wellbeingAbility
Source: Adams & Piekarz, 2015; UN, n.d.
What do we know about implementations of formalized
rights in sport?
The Curious Case of the Swedish Sport System
The Structure of Swedish Sport
Source: Riksidrottsförbundet, 2012
Swedish Sport Policy In 2009, a children’s rights perspective
was included in Swedish Sport Policy based on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child
Eliasson (2015) explored the lived realities of actors at the grassroots level during 2011 and 2012.
Formalized vs. Actual Rights and Realities Neither children or coaches in Swedish sport clubs
were aware of SSC’s incorporation of Children’s Rights in Swedish sport policy
Findings also indicated lack of knowledge of the UNCRC
Interviewees did not find policy document meaningful since they had not experienced any deliberate work regarding children’s rights in their respective sport clubs
Source: Eliasson, 2015
Sport Clubs as Policy Implementers? Dangerous to assume sport clubs are
“ready, willing, and able” to act as policy implementers (p. 2).
Empirical findings indicate considerable differences depending on the identity of an organization Heterogeneity creates challenge in terms
of policy-practice alignmentSource: Stenling and Fahlén, 2014
Lessons Learned from Child Protection in Sport Efforts?
Child Protection in Sport Efforts Lack of awareness and knowledge ->
uneducated assumptions among many grassroots leaders
Access to information perceived as complex and too difficult for sport club personnel
Unwillingness to challenge assumptions point to need (yet difficulty) for cultural change within sport community
Source: Brackenridge, 2002
Child Protection in Sport Efforts Need for vertical and horizontal policy alignment
across sport governing bodies
Cascade training system could provide a valuable implementation strategy
Considerable need for training and guidance for more efficient management
Policy should be based on empirical research rather than in reactive response to demands for action
Source: Brackenridge, 2002; Fransson, 2009; Rhind et al., 2015
Additional Sport Policy Considerations Volunteers may interpret and adapt policies through
the lens of local perspectives (Skille, 2008)
Important to avoid policy assumptions of fixed realities and instead embrace the flexibility of the real world (Donaldson, Legget, & Finch, 2011; Kokko, Kannas, & Villberg, 2009; Nichols & James, 2008)
Similar examples found in Sport-for-Development with discrepancies between policy discourses and local practices (e.g., Hasselgård & Straume, 2015)
Voices from the Field Grassroots leaders have expressed the need for volunteer-
driven nature of sport to be incorporated in sport policy (Donalson et al., 2011)
Considerable ambiguity in operationalization of youth sport harassment policies (Donnelly, Kerr, Heron, & DiCarlo, 2016)
Specific policy recommendations include: Flexibility for overcoming contextual challenges Simplify and define terminology Provide details on mechanisms for supporting implementation Consider incremental implementation process
What about the ‘universality’ of human rights?
Foreseeable concerns among sport organizations in different across different contexts
Universality of Human Rights
Does a declaration of human rights imply or reinforce Western ideals? Concerns raised by several post-colonialist theorists
regarding Human Rights Declarations
Yet, the Universal Declaration must remain the foundation of any Human Rights discussion (Giulianotti, 2004)
Others argue for ‘relative’ universality of human rights allowing for regional and cultural diversity (Donnelly, 2007)
Universality of Human Rights
Achieving universal acceptance of norms is a process
Acceptance must come from within a given region for sustainability
This does not mean the creation of regional human rights
Instead, the use of regional supervision of compliance with the international standards
Source: Cerna, 1994
What is required for successful implementation of a Declaration
of Human Rights in Sport?
Pillars of Successful Implementation
• Domestically and InternationallyCultural Sensitivity• Co-ordination across Sport Eco-SystemHolistic• Provide value for volunteer
leaders/orgs.Incentives• Clear and coherent coordinationLeadership• Openness to local realitiesDynamic• Specify what will be providedResources• Inclusive and active decision-makingEngaging
Stakeholders• Allow for collective impactNetworks
Source: International Safeguarding Children in Sport Working Group, 2011; Mountjoy et al., 2015
Youth Perspectives Lessons learned from Youth at the UN
Conference on ‘Reaffirming Human Rights for All’: Imperative to make human rights
relatable through personalized stories Education is crucial, yet many states do
not want people to learn about their rights NGOs serve important roles to overcome
this barrier in local communities
Source: Kuriansky, 2009
Athlete-Centered Approach? Most sport organizations are driven by
member participants so why not utilize this resource?
An athlete-centered approach would require stakeholders to ask themselves, what a given action be in the best interest of the rights of the athlete? Participants’ rights would guide nature and
delivery of sport programsSource: Fransson, 2009
Moving Forward
Human Rights
in Sport
Normalize what human rights
norms are desirable in sport
Analyze actual situation and
develop appropriate strategies needed for
change
Source: Martelaer, Knop, Theebom, & Heddegem, 2000
Continuing the Conversation