Protecting children and advancing their rights through sport

Context

Although primary education is compulsory and free in South Sudan, at least 2.2 million children are not in school and many young people from disadvantaged communities are at risk of dropping out early. This situation has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The increasing number of refugees also puts the most vulnerable of them at greater risk of violence, exploitation and abuse. Some 59% of refugees and asylum-seekers are children.

SWAGIA’s project is intended to help protect children and improve vulnerable people’s access to health-care services and education through a number of specific programmes focusing on sport and well-being.

Goals

• Reinforce community child protection mechanisms and improve access by young people, particularly girls, to health-care services, quality education and sports activities
• Promote cooperation between schools, universities, public institutions, and NGOs working for children’s rights
• Provide creative insights and the human resources training needed in South Sudan
• Strengthen personal development and talent through sport

Activities

• Carrying out awareness-raising campaigns about girls’ education, children’s rights and measures to prevent diseases like COVID-19
• Organising sporting activities and holding competitions, such as football and volleyball tournaments and marathons, between schools and villages
• Strengthening the inclusion of minorities, in particular vulnerable children with disabilities, and supporting children affected by the pandemic

Impacts

• 17,500 children aged 7 to 18 (10,500 girls and 7,000 boys) have benefited directly from the project by participating in marathons and volleyball, netball and football tournaments in Bor County
• Around 20,000 families and 30,000 people have been directly and indirectly impacted through the different awareness-raising campaigns
• 90 people, including 30 community leaders and 30 teachers and sports coaches, have been trained to ensure that children’s fundamental rights are protected and to defend their interests in their respective communities

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Photo credit: @CIO