Engaging with policymakers can benefit disadvantaged groups and support the sustainability of sport for development work.

Global efforts to protect the planet, end poverty, ensure peace and achieve prosperity are faltering. According to the United Nations, we are only on track to meet 17% of the targets in the sustainable development goals.

There are now 56 active conflicts worldwide, more than at any time since the Second World War. By mid-2024, over 120 million people were displaced due to persecution, conflict, violence, human rights violations or other events.

Extreme weather is affecting communities globally, and 2023 was the warmest year on record. In 2022, 60 percent of countries faced high food prices, while 45 percent lacked laws prohibiting discrimination against women.

The need for more action

Despite these challenges, there are massive funding shortfalls for emergency response work, poverty alleviation and addressing climate change. Many governments are slashing development and humanitarian budgets. Pledges to shift funding and power towards organisations in low- and middle-income countries are failing.

Recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic, rising inflation and increased military spending are among the reasons for these issues. The rise of far-right groups and populist parties in many countries is also weakening governments’ willingness to prioritise global challenges.

The number of problems is therefore increasing at a time when the political will to solve them is decreasing. This situation is complex, but policy advocacy can be part of the solution. If we want to tackle the problems affecting our societies, we need to influence the policies that govern our world, our countries, our cities and our communities.

The role of sport for development

Since the early 2000s, sport’s potential to contribute to inclusion, education, equality and other social objectives has been increasingly recognised. The number of organisations using sport to address social and environmental challenges has surged.

This ever-growing network has a role to play in swaying decision-makers. Many sport for development programmes have had impressive results, but they are mainly small-scale. This has limited their long-term impact on wider communities. By advocating for policies that benefit programme participants and communities, sport for development organisations can strengthen their positive impact.

Filling a gap

Despite the potential of sport for development organisations to influence policy, there are limited resources to help them understand how. The Policy Advocacy in Sport and Society (PASS) project aims to close this gap.

In this guiding toolkit, you will learn more about the project and how to effectively influence policy. By the end of the project in December 2026, project partners will have mapped policy advocacy in sport for development, published good practices, created a curriculum and launched an online course. We will expand this toolkit as the project evolves.

  1. What is policy advocacy and why does it matter for sport for development?
  2. Our project: Raising awareness and building knowledge on policy advocacy
  3. The state of play on policy advocacy: PASS project mapping report
  4. News from the PASS project

Image credit: Fair Play Point

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European Commission

The project is funded by the European Commission through its Erasmus+ programme. The European Commission's support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents, which reflect the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

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