By Dr Lin Sambili-Gicheha, Project Manager, Sport for Development and Peace
The Commonwealth Secretariat is an International Advisory Board member of the International Safeguards for Children in Sport and today joins over 140 organisations on 8 August 2023 to mark Safe Sport Day.
Safe Sport Day amplifies the needs to prevent abuse in sport and to support the efforts of the International Safeguards. This year, the Commonwealth Secretariat has published the Commonwealth Model Law on the Protection of Vulnerable Persons Against Abuse by Persons in Positions of Trust in partnership with UNICEF UK and DLA Piper LLC; with the views and perspectives of an Expert Working Group made up of 15 Commonwealth member countries.
Fundamentally, this Model Law provides a template for legal protections for vulnerable persons against abuse by persons in positions of trust and will require careful adaptation to the specific needs and circumstances of each Commonwealth country concerned.
The Model Law calls for the protection and promotion of the rights of children and vulnerable persons across a broad range of professions including but not limited to a parent; a guardian or an authorised carer; a care professional; a teacher, tutor or educator; a religious or spiritual leader; a manager or supervisor in an employment relationship; a custodian; a health professional; law enforcement personnel; prison personnel; military personnel; a professional adviser; or a youth worker; and crucially on Safe Sport Day, a coach or trainer.
This legislation is a crucial step for safer sport as it builds on the mandate given by Commonwealth Ministers of Sport in 2020, through the Commonwealth Consensus Statement on Promoting Human Rights in and through Sport particularly Article 15 where Commonwealth Ministers of Sport, resolve to:
15. Implement a policy of zero tolerance by sport for violence, harassment, abuse or discrimination, paying particular attention to children and groups in a situation of vulnerability;
This call for inclusive and safe access to sport for all is especially important as over 60% of the 2.5 billion Commonwealth citizens are under the age of 30 and inspire the efforts of the Commonwealth Youth Programme that has been supporting member countries with youth development work for 50 years. Furthermore, in Commonwealth member countries, 2023 is the Year of Youth - where youth voice and action across all sectors including sport is being amplified.
There are many reasons to collectively shine a light on Safe Sport Day 2023 which is being marked during the Commonwealth Youth Games (CYG) hosted by Trinidad and Tobago where the future talent and sporting leadership of the Commonwealth are currently competing.
To bolster these youth-led safeguarding efforts, members of the Commonwealth Youth Sport for Development and Peace Network and the Commonwealth Youth Human Rights & Democracy Network (CYHRDN) – YourCommonwealth are facilitating Athlete Impact Labs: workshops jointly supported by Trinbago 2023, UNICEF UK and the Commonwealth Secretariat with the aim to support athletes who attend the Labs to:
- understand what their rights are;
- share their insights on the extent to which sport respects their rights;
- make recommendations about where sports practice can be strengthened going forward.
Simultaneously, the Voice of the Athlete features strongly as a theme for the 2023 Safe Sport Day and includes the views and reflections of British Paralympic wheelchair athlete Anne Wafula Strike, MBE and Commonwealth Champion for Equality in Sport - Special envoy to the Commonwealth by Commonwealth Secretary-General, Patricia Scotland KC.
In sports, the Commonwealth Secretariat has been mandated to assist member countries to enhance the positive contribution that sport can make to sustainable development, health and building peaceful and just societies. To achieve this the Commonwealth Secretariat is now embarking on addressing human rights in sport through key partnerships, advocacy, legislation, and development.
This includes:
- Advancing the longstanding work of the Commonwealth Advisory Body on Sport (CABOS) through widening the Working Group membership to more countries;
- Progressing in-country adoption of the Model Law and supporting member countries in their capacity building efforts to improve safeguarding regulations whilst increasing learning opportunities for all through the free Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) Toolkit developed in partnership with the Australian Government Team Up and the International Platform on Sport and Development (sportanddev) international platform for sport and development sportanddev promote a culture of learning and knowledge exchange.
- Encouraging all stakeholders and partners to sign up and earn a digital badge on the Safeguarding Essentials Course curated by the International Safeguards for Children in Sport and partners available here Safeguarding Essentials Course
Media contact
- Rena Gashumba Communications Adviser, Communications Division, Commonwealth Secretariat
- T: +44 7483 919 968 | E-mail
