Agenda for Sport for Development in Developing Countries
Introduction:
Sport for Development is a new concept that has evolved out of the “growing evidence that strengthening the right of children to play enhances their healthy development and builds stronger communities.” Sport has been projected as an effective medium for promoting international peace and understanding for a long time. There has been an upsurge in interest by the United Nations, which wants to have sport play a more conspicuous role in the pursuit of development and peace. Experts in the fields of development, education, health, sport, economics, and conflict resolution are now actively using sport as a medium by which to enhance human development. Some of the areas where sport can play an effective role in changing the life conditions of people, especially in developing countries, include:
A. Encouraging children and youth to undertake regular physical activity. This helps put them on a positive path to healthy development. Many physical education and sport experts concur that participating in regular physical activity and play are essential for the physical, mental, psychological, and social development of an individual.
B. Providing physical education, sport, and play programs help to improve the health and well being of individuals while extending life expectancy. Engaging in physical activity on a regular basis helps to minimize the onset of several non-communicable diseases including heart disease, diabetes, and blood pressure. Although these are known to be major health issues in the developed world, there are increasing signs that developing countries are following suit, hence the urgent need for intervention before the situation gets worse.
C. Using sport and play as mediums by which to teach important values and life skills including honest endeavor, self confidence, teamwork, communication, inclusion, discipline, respect, and fair play. This can only be done effectively at institutional and community levels when deliberate efforts are made to transfer sport values to normal life in the community.
D. Accessing physical education and sport has a positive impact on a child’s growth and development process. Physical education typically improves a child’s physical and social ability through experiential learning. Providing well guided movements and play help to increase school attendance and overall achievement by school children. The experiential learning mode helps children to be active, interactive, and expressive as they learn.
E. Exposing women and girls to physical activities that were for a long time reserved for men and boys contributes to their development. The skills and values learned through sport and play are especially important for girls, given that they have fewer opportunities than boys for social interaction outside the home. Through sport, girls are given the chance to acquire motor skills, be leaders, improve their self-confidence and self-esteem, practice interpersonal skills, and access new opportunities.
F. Being involved in sport, which is one of the fastest growing industries in the world, is a catalyst for the economic development of individuals, communities, and nations. Individuals with a solid background in sport have opportunities to benefit from the many sectors of the sporting industry through careers as professional players, sport journalists, marketers, agents, and promoters, among others. The training of coaches and physical education teachers leads to jobs. Mega sport events, which have become very regular, can significantly impact a country’s economy. Demand for sport-related goods such as shoes, kits, balls, equipment, and clothes make it a viable manufacturing sector.
G. Capitalizing on the popularity and convening power of sport provides a powerful tool for reaching people and communicating important messages, including messages of health e.g. awareness of HIV/AIDS, polio and malaria. Sport brings people together and has the potential to cross boundaries and create new dialogue. This is vital in encouraging peaceful co-existence and inter-communal harmony. Many of the core values of sport parallel those necessary for peace, such as respect, justice, and honesty.
Conclusion:
Sport is a powerful tool that mankind can use to improve the well being of society. However, various international agencies, governments, sport organizations, and entrepreneurs need to pull together to effectively use sport to positively impact people. The role of physical education and sport should particularly be emphasized in school curriculum.