Sport as a Human Right: Empowering Individuals With Disabilities Through Sport &

Sustainable International Capacity Building

Erika Mueller, B.A.BlazeSports America

Jeffrey Levine, J.D. University of Louisville

The Importance of Providing Sport Opportunities to Individuals With Physical Disabilities

BlazeSports International Sport for Development Model

USAID Brazil Project Lessons Learned

Relationship Between Theory & Practice

Presentation Overview

United Nations emphasizes sport as a human right

United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Persons with Disabilities

Importance of utilizing sport or play as tool for empowerment

Sport as a Human Right: Sport for Individuals with Physical Disabilities

BlazeSports International integrates four fundamental components into each project:

1. Infrastructure development, stakeholder engagement and coalition building that focuses on policy creation and implementation

2. Disability awareness through sport with inclusive events and festivals

3. Sport for development program/curriculum development and resource creation

4. Trainings and Train-the-Trainer workshops use sport as an educational tool to address social issues (e.g. disability awareness, inclusion, female empowerment and human rights, etc.)

Sport for Development International Model

USAID Brazil Project• Create an awareness of the right of children and

adults with disabilities to participate and experience the full enjoyment of sport and physical activity where they live, work and play

• Improve health and quality of life of Brazilians with disabilities through participation in sport and physical activity

• Create an inclusive and accessible society that allows people with disabilities to move through daily life

• Coordinate advocacy efforts to disseminate the “Sports for All” concept

In-country Knowledge

Partnership Development

Sustainable Model

Self-Directed Learning

The Role of Disability

Lessons Learned

Local focus

In-country knowledge

Guides the initiative

Local voices

In-country ownership

Promotes social

change

Work in context

Facilitate discussion

Community produces solutions

Discussion: The Relationship Between Theory & Practice

Sport as a Human Right: Empowering individuals with disabilities through sport &

sustainable international capacity building

Questions?