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Partnership to focus on sport and displacement
https://www.sportanddev.org/latest/news/partnership-focus-sport-and-displacement
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https://www.sportanddev.org/latest/news/partnership-focus-sport-and-displacement
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The team at sportanddev is pleased to announce that we have embarked on a partnership with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

With the startling news this week that 1 in every 100 people worldwide is displaced by conflict or persecution, this World Refugee Day (20 June), the team at sportanddev is pleased to announce that we have embarked on a partnership with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to share the many ways in which sport positively impacts the lives of displaced communities.

UNHCR – the United Nations Refugee Agency – has global responsibility for safeguarding the rights and well-being of people who have been forced to flee their homes as a result of conflict and persecution. We will be working with them to provide a platform to showcase and share good practice and innovation in the field of sport and refugees, and to stimulate debate and consultation with policymakers and practitioners on what more could be done, and how.

In such challenging times, this partnership forms a key part of our mission to advocate and push for a fairer and more equitable world, in particular encouraging global leaders to use the sustainable development goals and the UN's Agenda 2030 as a framework for future policy. So, for example, we will focus on how the sport and development sector is supporting some of those people and communities most at risk from the coronavirus pandemic.

The partnership will commence with a series of activities over the coming months, including a call for articles commencing on World Youth Day on 12 August. During this time sportanddev will:

  • Publish a section on sportanddev.org dedicated to sport and refugees
  • Launch a global call for articles on the theme 
  • Support a week of activity on 21-27 September 
  • Organise a webinar on Monday, 21 September
  • Present an online debate using social media on Thursday, 24 September 
  • Collate a report summarising the findings and learning from this period of activity 

Arafat Jamal, Head of UNHCR’s Partnership and Coordination Service, welcomed the partnership highlighting that for many young people forced to flee their homes sport remains one of the few structured learning and development opportunities available.  He added: “the sportanddev partnership provides a vital opportunity to share the latest in good practice and policy development, stimulating the conversation, contributing to learning for practitioners and ultimately positive outcomes for displaced young people.”

We are looking forward to working more closely with UNHCR and to engaging with the sport and development community on the topic of sport and displacement.