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

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

FIFA: A World Cup Without the World

FIFA: A World Cup Without the World

Assessing Human Rights Impacts of the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup (New York, July 16, 2026) – The joy and celebration on display at the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup should not distract from the unprecedented exclusion, discrimination and misuse of power the U.S. government is conducting away from the spotlight, the Sport & Rights […]

READ MORE

Football Belongs to the Fans, Not Private Investors

Football Belongs to the Fans, Not Private Investors

Supporters across Europe are outraged by FIFA’s proposal to sell stakes in the World Cup and other football competitions to Trump-aligned private investors. The plan put forward by Gianni Infantino is the latest step in FIFA’s continuous descent into an autocratic governance and personality cult, with its President pushing the limits of his mandate on […]

READ MORE

Related resources

FIFA: New Rule Recognizes Afghan Women’s Team

FIFA: New Rule Recognizes Afghan Women’s Team

After Nearly Five Years in Exile, Women Can Seek World Cup Qualification (Vancouver, April 28, 2026) – The FIFA Council’s decision to approve amendments to its Governance Regulations provides a landmark opportunity to ensure gender equity and human rights in sport, the Sport & Rights Alliance said today. These changes allow for the official recognition […]

READ MORE

“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

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.