Inclusion and Protection of Refugees

The Global Refugee Forum (GRF) is the world’s largest international gathering in support of refugees and the communities that host them. It provides an opportunity for States and other stakeholders – including UN agencies, development banks, private sector, mayors, academia, sport and civil society organizations, as well as refugee-led organizations – to gather and announce concrete pledges and contributions to improve the lives of refugees and stateless people.

Sport activities and sport organizations have an important role to play in the advancement of the Global Compact on Refugees, and in bringing about positive change in refugee and host community members’ lives.

The Multistakeholder Pledge on Sport for Inclusion and Protection of Refugees (“the Sport Pledge”) outlines the role that sport can play in improving the lives of refugees, including through sport programming, policy change, skill development, and communication and advocacy efforts.

Sport offers an opportunity for refugees to overcome difficulties related to displacement and regain hope.
Sport is a lifeline for refugees. It allows them to regain hope and bring about long-lasting change in their lives.
Sport provides refugees with the chance to heal, develop and grow.
Sport plays an important role in refugees’ development and well-being, helping them to strengthen life skills, fostering positive understanding between communities and a sense of belonging.
Sport provides an important platform to advocate for a better life for the world’s refugees.

Sport has the potential to transform the lives of refugees and other displaced people. It is much more than a leisure activity and provides refugees with the chance to heal, develop and grow. Sport has the potential to break down cultural barriers and bring individuals and communities together. It can also be an effective tool to identify and provide support to vulnerable individuals and communities, who would otherwise not access essential services, such as health care and education. With its global audience, sport also provides an international communication platform to bring refugee issues to new audiences and forums — helping refugees’ voices to be heard; advocating for their needs to be met; encouraging understanding and positive change; and promoting inclusive communities.

At the Global Refugee Forum (GRF) in 2019, more than 80 entities – from grassroots clubs, associations, civil society organizations, national and international sport federations, and governments – came together and pledged to improve the lives of refugees through sport. The 2019 Sport Pledge mobilized more than 14 million USD in support of over 190,000 refugees and host community members worldwide.
For the 2023 GRF, a dedicated multistakeholder group working on and through sport has developed the Sport Pledge. Together, they are calling on sport organizations and other entities committed to working with refugees through sport, to join the Multistakeholder Pledge on Sport to be announced at the Global Refugee Forum 2023 in Geneva, Switzerland on 13 December.
Commitments are the substance of the Multistakeholder Pledge on Sport. Commitments will contribute towards enhancing refugee self-reliance; increasing social inclusion for refugees; promoting social cohesion; achieving protection outcomes; and fostering socio-economic inclusion.
Commitments can take many forms, including financial, technical, and material support. They can also be policy commitments or offer opportunities for resettlement and complementary pathways.
The Multistakeholder Pledge on Sport for Inclusion and Protection of Refugees outlines some of the roles sport can play in improving the lives of refugees. Pledging entities commit to delivering a specific output in one or more of the five commitment areas:

Promote an enabling environment, including policy, that delivers access to safe sport.
Promote and provide inclusive, safe, sport and play-based initiatives.
Promote and provide opportunities for enhanced skills and pathway in and through sport.
Use targets communication, evidence and advocacy.
Strengthen partnerships and coordination efforts.

The Global Refugee Forum (GRF) is the world’s largest international gathering in support of refugees and the communities that host them. It brings together governments, international organizations, humanitarian and development organizations, international and regional financial institutions, regional organizations; local authorities; civil society; academics and other experts; the private sector, media, host community members, sport organizations and refugees themselves to discuss how to address the increasing challenges impacting refugees and the communities that host them.
The GRF takes place every four years, with the aim of advancing the achievement of the objectives of the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR). The 2023 GRF runs from 13 to 15 December, in Geneva, Switzerland.
The GRF also aims to take stock on what has been achieved in the previous four years, what works, what can be done better and to identify the way forward. This is done through announcements of pledges: the heart of the GRF.
The Global Refugee Forum is designed to support the practical implementation of the objectives set out in the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR): ease pressure on host countries; enhance opportunities for self-reliance; expand access to third-country solutions; and support the conditions in countries of origin for the safe and dignified return of those who have fled.
The Global Compact on Refugees promotes the broadening of the base of actors involved in refugee response. Through its focus on partnerships, the GRF emphasizes cooperation and collaboration, recognizing that everyone in society has a role to play in improving the lives of refugees.

The Sport for Refugees Coalition was formed at the inaugural Global Refugee Forum in 2019. It is a group of organizations and other entities focused on supporting displaced people through sport.
By making a commitment to the Multistakeholder Pledge on Sport for Inclusion and Protection, you can join the Sport for Refugees Coalition (SfRC). As a member of the SfRC, you will have the possibility to share and gain insights of good practices from other organizations and entities working in this field and be part of a collective voice highlighting the positive role that sport can play in support of refugees.
The Sport for Refugees Coalition is co-convened by the Scort Foundation, the Olympic Refuge Foundation and UNHCR. If you are interested in shaping a commitment, please contact the coalition at contact@sportcoalition.org. Together, we can mobilize our resources to transform the lives of refugees and other displaced people.

IDF Commitment to the Joint Sport Pledge

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Sport activities and sport organizations have an important role to play in the advancement of the Global Compact on Refugees, and in bringing about positive change in refugee and host community members’ lives.

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The Multistakeholder Pledge on Sport for Inclusion and Protection of Refugees (“the Sport Pledge”) outlines the role that sport can play in improving the lives of refugees, including through sport programming, policy change, skill development, and communication and advocacy efforts.

Sport offers an opportunity for refugees to overcome difficulties related to displacement and regain hope.

Sport is a lifeline for refugees. It allows them to regain hope and bring about long-lasting change in their lives.

Sport provides refugees with the chance to heal, develop and grow.

Sport plays an important role in refugees’ development and well-being, helping them to strengthen life skills, fostering positive understanding between communities and a sense of belonging.

Sport provides an important platform to advocate for a better life for the world’s refugees.

Commitments are the substance of the Multistakeholder Pledge on Sport. Commitments will contribute towards enhancing refugee self-reliance; increasing social inclusion for refugees; promoting social cohesion; achieving protection outcomes; and fostering socio-economic inclusion.

Commitments can take many forms, including financial, technical, and material support. They can also be policy commitments or offer opportunities for resettlement and complementary pathways.

The Multistakeholder Pledge on Sport for Inclusion and Protection of Refugees outlines some of the roles sport can play in improving the lives of refugees. Pledging entities commit to delivering a specific output in one or more of the five commitment areas:

Promote an enabling environment, including policy, that delivers access to safe sport.

Promote and provide inclusive, safe, sport and play-based initiatives.

Promote and provide opportunities for enhanced skills and pathway in and through sport.

Use targets communication, evidence and advocacy.

Strengthen partnerships and coordination efforts.

The GRF takes place every four years, with the aim of advancing the achievement of the objectives of the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR). The 2023 GRF runs from 13 to 15 December, in Geneva, Switzerland.

The GRF also aims to take stock on what has been achieved in the previous four years, what works, what can be done better and to identify the way forward. This is done through announcements of pledges: the heart of the GRF.

The Global Compact on Refugees promotes the broadening of the base of actors involved in refugee response. Through its focus on partnerships, the GRF emphasizes cooperation and collaboration, recognizing that everyone in society has a role to play in improving the lives of refugees.

The Sport for Refugees Coalition was formed at the inaugural Global Refugee Forum in 2019. It is a group of organizations and other entities focused on supporting displaced people through sport.