With Children Win, Terre des Hommes has launched a project that addresses the negative aspects of major sporting events on children's lives. The aim is to make those responsible for such events aware of their responsibilities. In the future, they should already plan measures against their negative consequences when awarding and preparing for such events.
The 2014 World Cup in Brazil is history. But Brazil is now living with its aftermath: Massively shrunken budgets for education and health, curtailed rights, and thousands of people displaced from their neighbourhoods and social environment. This is in stark contrast to what sporting mega-events can be: occasions that can unite people and cultures in an international, peaceful and festive competition. They bring a lot of good to people. Unfortunately, not everyone benefits from them, as the examples of the World Cup in Brazil or South Africa prove. Children (= 0 to 18 years old) are particularly affected. Displacement and uprooting. Child labour, police violence against children, sexual exploitation: these are some of the negative consequences observed in connection with such events. However, far too few resources are usually allocated to eliminate or alleviate these risks.
accept responsibility
The International Federation Terre des Hommes (IFTDH), with the support of the Oak Foundation, has therefore launched the Children Win project, led by Marianne Meier, sports scientist and member of the terre des hommes swiss board: Children Win aims to promote public awareness of these aspects and to build up social pressure on those responsible for awarding and planning major sporting events. In future, measures to counter these risks in the awarding and implementation of contracts should be planned from the outset. Terre des Hommes is not concerned with demonising sport or global sporting events. With Children Win we want to change the rules of the game for major sporting events in favour of children, emphasises Ignacio Packer, General Secretary of the IFTDH.
News, info and support
At www.childrenwin.org, Terre des Hommes publishes news, socially investigative journalism, expertise and materials on the impact of sports mega-events on children's lives. In addition, children report in a teaser and short films about the World Cup in Brazil and South Africa on the impact of these events on their lives. In addition, Terre des Hommes encourages media professionals to include children's concerns in their coverage of such events. To this end, Terre des Hommes, in collaboration with the organisation Keeping Children Safe, has developed a concrete guide for media professionals for this year's World Cup. It offers support and important advice on reporting and working with the media.
The World Cup in Brazil is history, but the work to protect children and young people in the environment of major sporting events has just begun. Terre des Hommes is staying on. There are only two years left until the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro...
