SPORT AS A TOOL FOR DEVELOPMENT IN GEORGIA: SPORT AS A TOOL FOR DEVELOPMENT IN GEORGIA


♦Facts: Over 54% of the pop. lives below the poverty line;♦Secessionist regions: Abkhazia and South Ossetia (Shida Kartli);♦‘Rose Revolution’ in Nov 2003 bringing a lot of hope… but situation remains volatile;: ♦Facts: Over 54% of the pop. lives below the poverty line; ♦Secessionist regions: Abkhazia and South Ossetia (Shida Kartli); ♦‘Rose Revolution’ in Nov 2003 bringing a lot of hope… but situation remains volatile;


AT THE BEGINNING : AT THE BEGINNING UNICEF Georgia started to actively use sport for development purposes in 2001


FOOTBALL FOR ENHANCING HEALTHY LIFESTYLE : FOOTBALL FOR ENHANCING HEALTHY LIFESTYLE 2001-2003 launching partnership programme Children & Youth Football Championship on the President’s Cup in Georgia


WHY FOOTBALL: WHY FOOTBALL Most popular sport in Georgia Very useful tool to: attract public interest mobilize partners build alliances


FOOTBALL FOR ENHANCING HEALTHY LIFESTYLE: FOOTBALL FOR ENHANCING HEALTHY LIFESTYLE Championship - annual event Engaging more children & youth in sport activities and Promoting Healthy Lifestyle & preventing risky behaviour (alcohol, drugs) among children & youth


FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP School-based national wide tournaments > 45 000 children from 2,000 schools, age 12-15 Strong social mobilization tool for healthy lifestyle - involving different partners: local governments, business leaders, children


FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP - 2003: FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP - 2003 Involving girls for first time…. Held under aegis of World AIDS Day Campaign – UN Theme Group Raising awareness on HIV/AIDS among youth


FOOTBALL FOR ENHANCING HEALTHY LIFESTYLE: FOOTBALL FOR ENHANCING HEALTHY LIFESTYLE Special teams of HIV/AIDS advocates & popular singers attending & delivering IEC sessions on HIV for players & fans WAD 2003 Theme – Stigma & Discrimination


FOOTBALL FOR ENHANCING HEALTH LIFESTYLE: FOOTBALL FOR ENHANCING HEALTH LIFESTYLE 45 000 young people, including girls participated & received knowledge on HIV Yet, lessons learned: too ambitious - focusing project scope to specific regions & make tangible changes in supply & rehabilitation of sport playgrounds


FOOTBALL TO REACH THE MOST DISADVANTAGED : FOOTBALL TO REACH THE MOST DISADVANTAGED 2004: Football Championship organized jointly by UNICEF & NGO SOCO headed by the First Lady Chiatura - one of the poorest regions of west Georgia; No employment and no income (i.e. shoes)


FOOTBALL TO REACH THE MOST DISADVANTAGED: FOOTBALL TO REACH THE MOST DISADVANTAGED Aim - provide disadvantaged children opportunity to play football as a part of their ‘right to play’- an opportunity they wouldn’t have had otherwise (providing equal opportunities). Link with MDGs: Poverty. Extraordinary opportunity for advocacy & communication on life-skills & health promotion


FOOTBALL TO REACH THE MOST DISADVANTAGED: FOOTBALL TO REACH THE MOST DISADVANTAGED ~ 500 children from 25 schools in Chiatura involved – UNICEF provided football uniforms, shoes, balls & other sports equipment for football Major sport playgrounds in Chiatura equipped with football nets, flags, etc.


FOOTBALL TO REACH THE MOST DISADVANTAGED: FOOTBALL TO REACH THE MOST DISADVANTAGED The First Lady invited the 2 winner teams to a weekend excursion to recreational place in Southern Georgia UNICEF awarded winner teams - school-in-a box & football kits. Sport supplies - chess, badminton gifted to all 25 participant schools


SPORT AS A SCHOOL FOR LIFE: SPORT AS A SCHOOL FOR LIFE Additional funds mobilized to expand initiative to five regions in 2005 - Dutch NatCom Creating child-friendly environment & promoting healthy lifestyle in 50 schools of 5 regions of Georgia - rehabilitation of sport playgrounds, basic sport supplies, IEC for children & youth


WHAT IS NEXT (1): WHAT IS NEXT (1) Incorporation of sport programming in our strategic planning: mainstreaming of sports activities in country programmes. UNICEF’s experience was instrumental in advocating for inclusion of ‘Sports’ in the UNDAF


WHAT IS NEXT (2): WHAT IS NEXT (2) In-house capacity building in sports programming Enhancing partnerships; Developing M&E framework & Indicators for evaluating sports programming


From the horse’s mouth: From the horse’s mouth “Before I knew little about AIDS, I have never been a winner. Through playing football I learned a lot about this disease and about myself. Now I know that I can really change things. I scored a goal and brought a victory to my team. I am so happy.” 15-year-old George, participant of Georgia 2003 football school tournament


Is there a better outcome?: Is there a better outcome?


THANK YOU: THANK YOU