Sport for Development and Peace General Assembly

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The report, submitted pursuant to General Assembly resolution 77/27, examines the contribution of sport to achieving peace and the Sustainable Development Goals. It describes progress towards implementation between 2022 and 2024 of the United Nations Action Plan on Sport for Development and Peace. Drawing on inputs from leading global experts, Member States, the United Nations system and other stakeholders, the report focusses on progress in five priority areas of impact: (i) social inclusion through sport, (ii) physical activity, physical education, and community-based participation in sport, (iii) gender equality in and through sport, (iv) peacebuilding and crime prevention, and (v) sustainable communities and climate action. Each section reviews progress over the past two years, highlighting gaps in implementation that prevent sport from being fully utilized as a tool for development and peace. A schematic overview of the global sport ecosystem is used to deepen understanding of the multiple stakeholders engaged in sport and to highlight potential entry points and opportunities for strengthening implementation of the UN Action Plan amidst current global challenges. Lastly, the report provides strategic recommendations directed at the UN system, Member States and the global sport ecosystem to support implementation of the UN Action Plan.

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The 2022 Report of the Secretary-General reviews progress over the last two years to apply sport for development and peace. The Report highlights adaptations to deliver sport during the COVID19 pandemic, noting the potential to apply innovations to scale up impact. The Report analyses the potential for sport to play a catalytic role in countries’ efforts to “build back better”, arguing that sport is well suited to help address pandemic-related increases in inequalities, mental health challenges, out-of-school and work youth, social unrest, violence, and physical inactivity.  In the context of broader recovery efforts, the Report outlines how sport can be maximized as a low-cost, high-impact tool to rebuild solidarity within and between countries, deliver concrete benefits to people in the short term, while generating wider societal level change in line with the Sustainable Development Goals. Drafted at the request of the UN General Assembly, the Secretary General Report draws on the contributions of 16 Member States, 7 UN system entities and 81 public and private entities, including community groups, universities, businesses, and sports leagues.  To inform the Report, the UN organized the Multi-stakeholder Dialogue on The Role of Sport in Addressing Inequalities in Times of Crisis and Recovery in April 2022. 125 participants attended from 24 countries, including experts, Member State representatives, and practitioners. 

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The present report, submitted pursuant to General Assembly resolution 73/24, reviews progress towards implementation of the United Nations Action Plan on Sport for Development and Peace, drawing on input received from Member States, the United Nations system, and other stakeholders. Prepared in the context of the global coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, the report highlights the important role of physical activity and sport in mitigating the impact of the pandemic on health and well-being and examines the role of digital technology in helping sport to fulfill that role. It further examines means of building global resilience to counter future shocks through investment and innovation in sport and sport-related policies. 

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The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), through its Division for Inclusive Social Development (DISD), led the preparation of the report of the Secretary-General on sport for development and peace to the 73rd session of the GA, as requested by General Assembly Resolution 71/60 on “Sport as a means to promote education, health, development and peace “. 

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