Refugees and people facing situations of human mobility

Contribution:

• The intersection of refugee groups and Sport is a key topic on the social agenda.
• Rio 2016 Olympic Games permitted for the first time in history the participation of a team made of refugees and asylum seekers from all over the world.
• Sport can be a powerful tool to assist families and individuals demobilized.
•  Sport also allows an increase in the quality and quantity of Sport activities in refugee camps.
•  When working with refugees and migrants, Sport is key in the prevention of xenophobic attitudes that threaten these vulnerable groups.

International endorsement:

In 2017, the IOC launched the Olympic Refuge Foundation to help create safe, accessible, organised ‘Sport for Protection’ projects that serve displaced, host and other vulnerable communities and aim to leave a sustainable legacy. (59)

• Lack of facilities and Sport equipment.
• Economic constraints in families.
•  Xenophobia and other forms of discrimination against refugees and asylum seekers.

• Type of mobilization and zones of intervention: The different forms of human mobility and forced displacement should be understood before launching a Sport for All programme.
• Local inhabitants should also be part of Sport for All programmes: Involving local residents is an outstanding vehicle to integrate refugees or asylum seekers and, therefore, to prevent xenophobic attitudes towards them.
• Protected participants: Initiatives must be well designed and delivered – engaging both refugee and host communities – to build capacity and ensure that the learning is captured and translated into positive change. (60)
• The role of Sport in refugee camps: Provides safe and accessible infrastructure for Sport and play, allows children to be children and to increase in resilience and social support.
• Use trauma-sensitive approach in the activities: Working with refugees without having a basic notion of the current situation and needs of these groups can be a mistake.

Other tips:

• Sport for All’, rather than competitive Sport should be the most important focus of Sport in refugee camps.
• Local capacities: Refugees should be empowered to take an active role, to be coaches, facilitators and leaders.

• Sport for protection Toolkit. Click Here
• Peace and Sport: Live together’ for refugees. Click Here
• Global Compact for Refugees and using Sport. Click Here
• UEFA and UNHCR partnership to help refugees. Click Here
• Resources for using Sport in work with refugees. Click Here
• 11 goals to prevent discrimination (just in Spanish). Click Here
• Spirit of Soccer project in Iraq. Click Here
• Za’atari refugee camp in J ordan. Click Here
• Blasie Matuidi, a youth refugee camp in Congo. Click Here
•  Highlighted refugee athletes as role models: Dorian Keletela Click Here and Yursra Masrini Click Here

Table of Peace Programme

(International Federation of Teqball – FITEQ)

• The aim of the programme is to engage young people in sporting activities whilst also teaching them transferrable skills and key values
• The initiative follows a successful long-standing partnership with Peace and Sport, where FITEQ has been part of the Live Together programme in the Zaatari Refugee Camp in Jordan

More information:

Video TEQBALL – Table of Peace Programme in Djibouti Ali Addeh Refugee Camp. Click Here