RES/31/23 Promoting human rights through sport and the Olympic ideal

Human Rights Council Thirty-first session

Agenda item 3

Resolution adopted by the Human Rights Council on 24 March 2016

31/23. Promoting human rights through sport and the Olympic

ideal

The Human Rights Council,

Reaffirming the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations,

Recalling the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and relevant international

human rights instruments,

Recalling also the relevant provisions of the key international human rights treaties,

in particular article 31 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, articles 1 and 30 of the

Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and articles 10 (g) and 13 (c) of the

Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women,

Recalling further the resolutions adopted by the General Assembly on the issue of

sport and Olympic Games, in particular its resolutions 67/17 of 28 November 2012, 68/9 of

6 November, 69/6 of 31 October 2014 and 70/4 of 26 October 2015, the latter on building a

peaceful and better world through sport and the Olympic ideal, in which the Assembly

recognized the valuable contribution of sport in promoting education, development, peace,

cooperation, solidarity, fairness, social inclusion and health at the local, regional and

international levels, and noted that, as declared in the 2005 World Summit Outcome,1 sports

can contribute to an atmosphere of tolerance and understanding among peoples and nations,

Reaffirming its previous resolutions on the issue of sport and human rights, in

particular resolutions 13/27 of 26 March 2010, 18/23 of 30 September 2011, 24/1 of 26

September 2013, 26/18 of 26 June 2014 and 27/8 of 25 September 2014,

Noting that the Olympic Charter, among its fundamental principles of Olympism,

stipulates that every individual must have the possibility of practising sport, without

discrimination of any kind and in the Olympic spirit, which requires mutual understanding

with a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play,

1 General Assembly resolution 60/1.

United Nations A/HRC/RES/31/23

Recognizing the potential of sport as a universal language that contributes to

educating people on the values of respect, dignity, diversity, equality, tolerance and fairness

as a means to combat all forms of discrimination and to promote social inclusion for all,

Recognizing also that sport and major sporting events can be used to promote

awareness, understanding and the application of the Universal Declaration of Human

Rights,

Recognizing further the imperative need to engage women and girls in the practice

of sport, and to enhance, to this end, their participation in sporting events at the national and

international levels,

Acknowledging the potential of sport and major sporting events to educate the youth

of the world and to promote their inclusion through sport practiced without discrimination

of any kind and in the Olympic spirit, which requires human understanding, tolerance, fair

play and solidarity,

Noting the Fundamental Principles of Olympism as enshrined in the Olympic

Charter,

Acknowledging the joint endeavours of the International Olympic Committee, the

International Paralympic Committee, the Office of the Special Adviser to the Secretary-

General on Sport for Development and Peace and the United Nations system in such fields

as human development, poverty alleviation, humanitarian assistance, health promotion,

HIV and AIDS prevention, child and youth education, gender equality, peacebuilding and

sustainable development,

Acknowledging also the importance of the Youth Olympic Games in inspiring youth

through integrated sports and cultural and educational experiences, and noting in this regard

the successful conclusion of the Second Youth Winter Olympic Games, held in

Lillehammer, Norway, from 12 to 21 February 2016,

Reaffirming the need to combat discrimination and intolerance where they occur,

within and outside the sporting context,

Recognizing that sport, the Olympic and Paralympic Games, and other international

major sporting events, such as the International Federation of Association Football World

Cup, can be used to promote human rights and strengthen universal respect for them, thus

contributing to their full realization,

Acknowledging the valuable contribution that the appeal by the International

Olympic Committee for an Olympic Truce, also known as ekecheiria, could make towards

advancing the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations,

Acknowledging also the very important role of the media in the promotion and

popularization of sport and in raising public awareness of the merits of practicing it as a key

element of a healthy lifestyle, thus contributing to the enjoyment of the highest attainable

standard of physical and mental health,

Acknowledging further that the media should be encouraged to report on how sport

can translate into respect for human rights and promote social cohesion and acceptance of

diversity and the values of sport, including integrity, teamwork, excellence, respect,

tolerance, fair play and friendship,

Welcoming the hosting of the Olympic and Paralympic Games in the cities of Rio de

Janeiro, PyeongChang, Tokyo and Beijing in 2016, 2018, 2020 and 2022 respectively, and

stressing the opportunity to promote human rights, especially through sport and the

Olympic ideal,

Recognizing the potential of sport and major sporting events in contributing to the

achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable

Development2 to fostering peace and sustainable development, and to the inclusion of

persons with disabilities and the promotion of non-discrimination, taking into account the

need to address and prevent improper practices of stakeholders engaged in the organization

and preparation of sports events, which may lead to human rights violations and abuses and

negatively affect the economic, social and environmental spheres,

Recalling the designation of 6 April as the International Day of Sport for

Development and Peace, and encouraging the celebration of this day,

Being aware of the need to actively involve sport and the Olympics in achieving the

full and equal enjoyment of all human rights by persons with disabilities, and respect for

their inherent dignity, recognizing efforts made by the hosting countries to create a barrier-

free environment for persons with disabilities, and stressing the need to continue to build on

efforts made at the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi and the 2014 International

Federation of Association Football World cup in Brazil,

Recognizing the need to reflect more thoroughly on the value of relevant principles

enshrined in the Olympic Charter and good sporting example in achieving the universal

respect for realization of all human rights,

Recognizing also the need to support the independence and autonomy of sport and to

preserve integrity in sports in all aspects, through good governance of sport executive

bodies and the effective and impartial implementation of anti-corruption, anti-doping and

other relevant regulations, without prejudice to the human rights of athletes,

1. Takes note with appreciation of the final report of the Advisory Committee

on the possibilities of using sport and the Olympic ideal to promote human rights for all and

to strengthen universal respect for them,3 and encourages States, national, regional and

international sport organizations and other stakeholders to implement, as appropriate, its

recommendations;

2. Calls upon States to cooperate with the International Olympic Committee and

the International Paralympic Committee in their efforts to use sport as a tool to promote

human rights, development, peace, dialogue and reconciliation during and beyond the

period of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, in particular by observing the Olympic

Truce;

3. Encourages States to promote sport as a means to combat all forms of

discrimination;

4. Invites States and national, regional and international sports organizations to,

where appropriate, implement new or strengthen existing programmes that provide more

opportunities and facilitate barrier-free access to sport for all, in particular for children and

youth, persons with disabilities, and women and girls, and substantially increase

opportunities for women’s participation and leadership in all areas of sport;

5. Encourages States and national, regional and international sports

organizations tο enhance human rights awareness and education, including the values of

sport, of athletes, coaches and other sports officials;

2 General Assembly resolution 70/1.

3 A/HRC/30/50.

6. Calls upon States to take effective measures to address vandalism and

violence during and around sporting events, and to encourage national, regional and

international sports organizations to contribute to that end;

7. Welcomes the cooperation among Member States, the United Nations and its

specialized agencies, funds and programmes, the International Olympic Committee and the

International Paralympic Committee to maximize the potential of sport to make a

meaningful and sustainable contribution to the achievement of the Sustainable

Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and encourages the

Olympic and Paralympic movements to work closely with national, regional and

international sports organizations on the use of sport for this purpose;

8. Decides to convene a panel discussion at its thirty-second session on the

possibility of using sport and the Olympic ideal to promote human rights for all, including

persons with disabilities;

9. Also decides to continue consideration of this issue in accordance with its

programme of work.

64th meeting

24 March 2016

[Adopted without a vote.]