Submissions to UN Special Rapporteur Reports on Violence Against Women & Girls and Right to Participate in Sport

All Women and Girls Deserve the Right to Participate in Sports Free from Abuse, Violence and Discrimination

The Sport & Rights Alliance is actively engaged in pushing back against the anti-rights movement and its weaponization of sport which is driving misinformation and real harm to trans, gender diverse and intersex people. Sport has the power to transform lives, and all women and girls deserve the right to participate in sports free from abuse, violence, and discrimination, and ensuring the respect of their health, safety and dignity.

Working with our core partner ILGA World, throughout 2024 we have participated in two calls for input by United Nations Special Procedure mandate holders in their research on sport: the Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women and Girls, and the Special Rapporteur in the Field of Cultural Rights. Special Rapporteurs are independent human rights experts appointed and mandated by the United Nations Human Rights Council to report and advise on human rights issues from a thematic or country-specific perspective. We also worked with ILGA to mobilize and coordinate the submissions of 11 other civil society organizations.

You can read our full submissions, in collaboration with ILGA World, the Office against Discrimination, Racism and Intolerance (ODRI), 6Rang, TGEU and GATE, and access the full lists of public submissions, below. You can also access our joint statement, with over 100+ other organizations, here.

You can also find the full list of submissions available to the public, here:

Related news

Debunking the IOC FAQ

Debunking the IOC FAQ

In connection to the IOC Policy on the Protection of the Female (Women’s) Category in Olympic Sport A scientific, legal, and child safeguarding analysis from Humans of Sport May 2026 Introduction On 26 March 2026, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board adopted a new Policy on the Protection of the Female (Women’s) Category in […]

READ MORE

FIFA: Fear and Uncertainty in Final Countdown to 2026 World Cup

FIFA: Fear and Uncertainty in Final Countdown to 2026 World Cup

Voices of People Impacted by FIFA’s Top Tournament (New York, June 10, 2026) – As the world awaits the opening whistle of the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup, players, fan groups, and human rights groups are highlighting the risks posed by the U.S. government’s visa bans, travel restrictions and abusive immigration operations, the Sport & […]

READ MORE

Covering the 2026 World Cup? Prepare for more than football

Covering the 2026 World Cup? Prepare for more than football

The 2026 FIFA World Cup, taking place from June 11 to July 19, is expected to draw thousands of journalists to the United States, Mexico, and Canada to cover the world’s biggest sporting event of the year. Beyond the stadiums, fan zones, and celebrations, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) urges media professionals to prepare for a […]

READ MORE

Related resources

“This may be the most important story you will tell, and you want it done right”

“This may be the most important story you will tell, and you want it done right”

Workshop Recap: Media Training for Impacted Athletes: Sharing your story with journalists On September 24th, The Athletes Network for Safer Sports held its third workshop of the year focusing on “Media Training for Impacted Athletes.” Featuring top sports journalists with extensive experience covering abuse cases, Shireen Ahmed and Suzy Wrack, the session marked an important […]

READ MORE

Image shows purple background with broken volleyball net

Australia: Van de Velde denied visa for World Beach Volleyball Championships

Content warning: This statement mentions sexual assault, rape, and the abuser’s name. (Amsterdam, October 28, 2025) – Kyniska Advocacy, The Army of Survivors, and the Athletes Network for Safer Sports, are once again calling on the sports world to take action to prevent athletes convicted of sexual offenses from competing on the global stage. Last year, […]

READ MORE

Germany: Request for Mandatory Safe Sport Compliance

Germany: Request for Mandatory Safe Sport Compliance

Letter to German Bundestag’s Committee on Sport and Volunteering The Sport & Rights Alliance, through the Athletes Network for Safer Sports and together with Football Supporters Europe, Human Rights Watch and The Assist, wrote to the Members of the Committee on Sport and Volunteering of the German Bundestag in support of mandatory safe sport compliance […]

READ MORE

Join the Network

Sport has the potential to be a catalyst for human development, unity, and freedom, but too often it instead brings harm to its athletes, fans, and communities. We exist to uncover and rectify the many abuses that exist both in and around sport. We aim to transform sports into an authentic force for good.