When: 23 March 2022, 3.00pm CET
COVID-19 has exacerbated three intersecting crises: physical inactivity, mental health issues and inequalities:
- Physical activity has declined by 41% during COVID, with vulnerable and low income communities worst hit (Lancet)
- Anxiety and depression increased by 200% amongst youth (OECD)
- 82% of PE teachers report that classes have been negatively impacted, particularly for girls and children with disabilities (UNESCO)
These issues are global, interconnected and require urgent collective action to address. In response, UNESCO has launched the Fit for Life initiative focused on evidencing and delivering on the potential of sport as a driver of multiple outcomes (health, wellbeing, equality, inclusion) through smart investments, capacity building of private stakeholder groups, and strategic advocacy at international, regional and national levels.
On March 23, UNESCO and UN Women will host a special (virtual) side event, “Fit for Life: Sport powering Gender+ Equality”, as part of Fit for Life's knowledge sharing and capacity building event series.
Organized in partnership with the Global Observatory, the session will provide an opportunity to gather high-level panelists from development, sport and activist communities to evidence the power of grassroots sport and quality physical education as a driver of SDG 5. Panelists will advocate the value of integrated approaches to deliver high-impact investments beginning with the most marginalized communities, including women with disabilities, indigenous women, women of colour and women refugees. Focus will be given to gender gaps in participation and representation. The role of Fit for Life and the Global Observatory in gathering impact data and actioning solutions will be highlighted.
The event aims to showcase the value of investment in sport-related initiatives to Ministries of Women’s affairs, civil society and activists, and propose concrete pathways for their engagement in the national delivery of Fit for Life. Outcomes and recommendations from the discussion will also inform Fit for Life’s scoping and global sport baseline studies.
Agenda
Moderator: Evelyn Watta, Sports journalist and Vice President of AIPS
15.00 – 15.20: Introduction and opening statements (20 minutes)
- Gabriela Ramos, Assistant Director-General, Social and Human Sciences, UNESCO
- Dr Payoshni Mitra, CEO of the Global Observatory for Women, Sport, Physical Education and Physical Activity
- Clara Wu Tsai, Business woman, investor and founder of Wu Tsai Human Performance Alliance (TBC)
- Mohammad Naciri, Regional Director of UN Women for Asia and Pacific (TBC)
- Maureen Rosita Ojong Ebob-Besong, Sport and development entrepreneur, Director of Programs SEED Project, Young Leader French African Foundation
- Isabelle Picco, Ambassador, Permanent Mission of Monaco to the UN (TBC)
15.20 – 16.10: Moderated exchange with panelists (50 minutes)
16.10– 16.15: Conclusions and recommendations (5 minutes)
To register here: https://unesco.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_VpZmU98lQFm1wKgLpgeGqA
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