Maidan Magazine 2015 by Magic Bus

MAIDANMAGAZINE VOLUME 2 | ISSUE 1 | 29 JANUARY 2015

A Sport for Development Platform

CONTENTS THE UMMEED INITIATIVE

by Tasleem Khan

REIMAGINING THE FUTURE OF CHILDREN'S RIGHTS THROUGH S&D

by Bradley Castelli

RE-VISITING THE WAY CHILDREN PLAY ACROSS OUR SCHOOLS

by Saumil Majumdar

USING FOOTBALL TO CHANGE LIVES IN BANGLADESH

by Ahmed Sayed Al-Fatah

USING PLAY TO PROMOTE PEACE IN SRI LANKA

by Kassapa Diyabedanage

A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD FOR PEACE

CHANGING LIVES T HROUGH FOOTBALL

by Manish Sharma

by Sumanya Anand Velamur

BUILDING INTER-COMMUNITY SPACE IN MUMBAI

by Dr Rama Shyam

SPORTS - A TOOL FOR PEACE AND DEVELOPMENT

by Dr M R Mishra

IMAGE: MOVING FROM OSTRACISM TO INCLUSION 19

by Sneh Gupta and Adam Wright

BREAKING BARRIERS THROUGH PLAY: THE KILIKILI EXPERIENCE by Kavitha Krishnamoorthy

EXPOSITION, EVIDENCE, CRITIQUE & COOPERATION 23

by Setika Singh

MAKING CHOICES: THE RHETORIC AND THE REALITY

by Sanjana Gaind

EMPOWERING WOMEN OF NEPAL & 3 SISTERS ADVENTURE TREKKING

by Archana

LAUGH NAZMA, LAUGH! by Arun Kumar

MYSA’S LIVELIHOOD EXPERIENCE 33

by David T hiru

MAGIC BUS - THE JOURNEY FROM CHILDHOOD TO LIVELIHOOD 34

by Kusum Mohapatra

THE PERIPHERAL CENTRE: VOICES FROM INDIA'S NORTHEAST by Chandrika Rao

THE SUM OF ALL HOPES: SPORTS AND YOUTHS AT TIMES OF PEACE IN MIZORAM by N William Singh

HEALTHY BODIES, HEALTHY MINDS by Lalhmachhuana and V Lalsiamthara

Sport for Development Photo used for representational purposes only

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THE UMMEED INITIATIVE Tasleem Khan Tasleem Khan outlines a community-based children's development project that is using sports to achieve educational and other outcomes in Mumbai. The Ummeed initiative is working in three slums of Mumbai – Garib Nagar, Patel Nagar and what locals call the Pipeline area. Four organisations are behind the project: CCDT, which works on health; Aseem, whose area of interest is in children's education; Kesva, that works on youth livelihoods and YUVA, which focuses on child protection and participation. These areas are (by and large) home to migrant and minority communities. The concept of children as individuals with rights is very new to these communities. Parents are forced to work long hours away from home to make ends meet, leaving children to their own devices through the day. After school, boys just hang out and play with other boys, but girls stay home, not allowed to go out. Speaking to boys is frowned upon; playing with boys is completely unacceptable. Most children aren't really interested in education. Some are active users of alcohol and other addictive substances. And of course, there's the fact that these slums don't really have playgrounds. Whatever playing happens, happens on roads and even on the railway tracks. When YUVA started working with children here in 2008, we tried to take the children to play together. But we wanted to go beyond just playing together – we wanted a deeper engagement. This is when we first started to think about using the Sport for Development approach seriously. After some thought, we decided to do this in collaboration with Magic Bus, since we were new to the approach. YUVA took on the job of bringing the children together, while Magic Bus took charge of using football to inculcate essential life skills and behaviour changes. We consulted the children and jointly agreed that football would be a good medium, since it's such a globally relevant game.

We faced several questions before launching: “Where will we play?”  “How will the mentors be trained?”  “How will we include girls as equal participants?”  “How will the community react to the idea of boys and girls playing together?” 

With these questions still looming, we launched into work, at a nearby Brihan Mumbai Municipal Corporation ground (called the Colgate Ground). The ground is free to be used but had been forcibly occupied by a private cricket academy. It was also used by local addicts as a place to score drugs. So with all this going on in the background, we started, on 2nd September 2012, armed with little other than the children's own curiousity and enthusiasm. We started with 52 children. (We had completed a baseline survey before starting – this process has slowly strengthened over the years). Girls who had never stepped out of the domestic sphere started playing with boys. Questions were raised, first by the children themselves: “Why are we playing with girls/boys?” and “Is this right?” Gradually and with each passing session, the questions faded away and girls and boys even started training each other. But there was a setback: the girls' parents said, “Our daughters can't play with boys. After all, what benefits can playing have anyway?” The local Bal Adhikar Sangharsh Sangathan played a big role in convincing these parents. Many of its members went and spoke to each girl's parents, convincing them of the need to allow their girls to grow up ready to take their place in an educated, diverse society of the future. Over time, we got new participants. Children who were out of school started going to school. More importantly, they started thinking about their own future.

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The children then took whatever challenges we were facing with regard to the playground to the Assistant Municipal Commissioner. They also placed a demand for a new playground as part of Mumbai's new development Master Plan. The children want to take the Sport for Development programme forward on their own now. They are even building their own teams and teaching them football! What I look forward to most now is for this process – this

flight – continues. Children should be able to live and grow up well. What also gives me joy is that Mohammad, one of our programme participants, is now part of CCDT's project and is helping carry our Magic Bus partnership forward by teaching other children what he himself has learnt. Tasleem Khan is a Social Worker with YUVA, Mumbai, India.

“Whatever I have learnt, I am using in my daily life. I will continue to use my learning, and in fact I hope to grow up to become a football trainer some time.” – Salman “I have started considering my education and I have just re-joined school.” – Sagar “I've become far more confident since I started playing football.” – Sunita

Football trivia In the middle of the nineteenth century, both football and soccer were played with roundish balls that were somewhat irregular in shape because of their origins, as, part of a pig. As the games diverged, so did the balls. Soccer became a game that centered around kicking. And given the difficulty of controlling the ball with one's feet, one thing became clear: the rounder the ball, the better. As soon as advances in materials made it practical, soccer moved toward a ball that was as round as possible. T he panels became smoother and more uniform, and the seams joining the panels became less prominent. T he round balls used in games like football, tennis, and even basketball feature a slight but crucial asymmetry. T he cover of a soccer ball is made up of twelve pentagons and twenty hexagons, the panel forming a figure called a truncated icosahedron, which mathematicians have studied since the days of Archimedes. Leonardo da Vinci simply called it 'divine'.

Photo Credit: Bradley Castelli

Excerpt from Newton's Football, T he science behind America's game. Written by Allen St. John and Ainissa G.Ramirez, PH.D

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REIMAGINING THE FUTURE OF CHILDREN'S RIGHTS THROUGH S&D Bradley Castelli Bradley Castelli, whose areas of interest include child development, education, health and peace building, makes a case for learning through sport. To mark the 25th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, UNICEF’s annual publication The State of the World’s Children calls for rethinking structures, sparking creativity and engaging youth to find innovative solutions to the problems that continue to compromise children’s rights. Sport and Development (S&D) initiatives encourage innovative approaches to teaching and learning that can help strengthen the rights of children. The Convention places a high value on education and asserts that every child has the right to a primary education. However, answering UNICEF’s call for innovative solutions means rethinking traditional education structures. Learning through sport challenges traditional notions of education. It creates a learning environment where teacher and student are not opposite and fixed roles. Rather, sport creates a climate that allows a student to simultaneously teach and learn. This kind of educational setting encourages youth engagement and the critical thinking that all learning programmes should set out to achieve. Article 12 of the Convention declares that children have the right to say what they think and hold opinions on matters that affect them. To do this, a child must have the capacity to observe and express. Once again, a meaningful education can build such capacities, and sport can contribute to teaching such skills.

kateistan began as a grassroots 'Sport for Development' project on the streets of Kabul in 2007, and is now an award-winning, international NGO (Non-Governmental Organisation) with projects in Afghanistan, Cambodia and South Africa. Skateistan is the first international development initiative to combine skateboarding with educational outcomes. Skateistan is non-political, independent, and inclusive of all ethnicities, religions and social backgrounds.

After all, S&D projects seek to use sport to develop individuals, communities and societies beyond the setting of the football pitch or playground. This is done by engaging participants, empowering them and giving them a true sense of ownership in the projects they are participating in. S&D is itself an innovative response to development. We need to keep the creative spirit growing and keep contributing practical solutions in complicated realities. There are many examples of this creative growth. PeacePlayers International uses basketball to unite divided communities, Skateistan makes education more accessible to girls through skateboarding and the Commonwealth Youth Sport for Development and Peace Working Group puts young people at the centre of sustainable development. S&D has the power to help address the problems that continue to compromise children’s rights, and is selfreflective with regard to its influence too. The recently developed International Safeguards for Children in Sport aim to make S&D initiatives for children more effective by creating safe sporting environments for children and promoting good practice among all actors involved in S&D projects. So as UNICEF looks to reimagine the future of children, let us continue innovating with sport as a tool for development to help get us there. Bradley Castelli is an intern with sportanddev.org.

eacePlayers International (PPI) was founded in 2001 by Brendan and Sean Tuohey, two brothers from Washington, D.C. Today, PPI's annual operating budget is over $3 million, and it has a year-round presence on four different continents, but at its founding, it was little more than the Tuoheys, their friends and family, and an idea – that children who play together can learn to live together.

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RE-VISITING THE WAY CHILDREN PLAY ACROSS OUR SCHOOLS Saumil Majumdar Saumil Majumdar takes a look at the hard reality of school sports across the country and recommends interventions that are needed to ensure schools develop a generation of healthier, fitter and more physically active children.

while playing. So, how can we ensure that they are having fun? Some of the key elements are: 

Age-appropriate play equipment: For each age, there is a certain level to which a child can manage particular equipment.



Inclusion: The activity should ensure that all the children are included – and is not designed for those children who already have a sporting ability. This ensures that all children stay interested in the playing experience - and don't switch off from sports. Having the right number of equipment and running a structured plan in every session that has specific objectives or outcomes covering each child ensures all the children are involved while playing and no child is excluded.



Introduction to fundamental skills: It is important that some time is spent on ensuring that children learn the fundamentals before engaging in game-play. In the absence of the foundation, the sporty kids will outperform the rest - and the remaining kids will not enjoy the experience.

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Rewarding small wins: In addition to helping children with the skills via inclusive and ageappropriate tools, it is important to record the progress seen and reward even the smallest of improvements seen (need not be competitive at all!). This encourages children to set the bar higher and constantly improve.

This generation is experiencing shockingly low levels of skills and fitness among children: 61% of Indian school-going children are growing up without the right fundamental skills (such as loco-motor, manipulative, non-manipulative and spatial awareness skills) needed to engage in sports. The inability of the children to perform these basic skills well, coupled with the low levels of fitness, puts these children at a risk of not enjoying physical activity and sports. All this, along with unhealthy eating habits and the lure of sedentary options available for children to entertain themselves puts an entire generation of children at risk of growing up to be inactive and unhealthy adults. Focus on fun and engagement: The paradigm shift needed in school sports The design of a remedy should start with understanding what a child's body and mind are 'designed' for. A lot of health and fitness programmes start with the adult context – and so, miss out on the key elements that will work with children. Kids, for example, should not be going to gyms. Their bodies are not designed for such highly structured, repetitive activities as well as weights. They should not be following an adult diet plan. While there is a certain balance necessary for any person, adult-pattern dieting as a means of weight control for children is inappropriate, given that the child's body is developing. Children are designed to play. And this is how nature ensures that children stay healthy and fit. Having figured out that play is the natural thing to do, the next challenge is to figure out how to ensure no child is left out. School sports programmes are generally unstructured and focused on supporting talented children, or the school team. In this process, a large number of children who do not make the cut get excluded or do not have fun

As adults (parents/school leaders), the next time we see a child not getting excited about physical activity and sports, we need to take a moment and analyse the nature of the sports experience provided to the child. There might be some simple, yet startling answers there! The above article is an edited excerpt of an article that was published in Learning Curve: Special Issue on Sports in Education, December 2011. Saumil is the Co-Founder and CEO of EduSports.

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Healthy Development of Children and Young People through Sport Physical education and sport have an educational impact. Changes can be seen in (i) motor skills development and performance and (ii) educational potential. T his shows the positive relationship between being involved in physical activities and psychosocial development. Sport and physical education is fundamental to the early development of children and youth and the skills learned during play, physical education and sport contribute to the holistic development of young people. T hrough participation in sport and physical education, young people learn about the importance of key values such as: honesty, teamwork, fair play, respect for themselves and others, and adherence to rules. Source: http://www.sportanddev.org

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USING FOOTBALL TO CHANGE LIVES IN BANGLADESH Ahmed Sayed Al-Fatah Ahmed Sayed Al-Fatah's day begins at five in the morning. He is the Director of his family business, Nandita Properties, a construction firm based out of his home town of Kushtia, Bangladesh. But before and after work, Ahmed can be found on the sand flats next to his office, where he is building his pet project: Bangladesh's first-ever football academy. Located on the banks of the Gorairiver, Kushtia is about 100 miles away from Bangladesh's capital, Dhaka. It is on these banks that Ahmed has begun his football project. It's not just football that Ahmed is interested in: he wants to make a difference to the level of poverty in his country too. Living on the banks of the Gorai are some of Bangladesh's poorest families. It is from these families that Ahmed recruits the kids who are part of his academy. The parents of these children work as rickshaw pullers, tailors, daily wage labourers, fishmongers, janitors and painters. Before joining his family business, Ahmed spent six years working with the Bangladesh Football Federation and with the Football Administration and Management under FIFA. “I tried to use my football experience in the rest of my life as well," he says. "Also, I wanted to do something which can bring added value for people. I went to check out what was happening with regard to sports and play at a poor neighbourhood very close to where I lived and worked at the time. What I found was that there wasn’t a single organised sport happening there. So I started going to this neighbourhood with a football." Started in January 2013, Ahmed's project primarily targets boys and girls between seven and 13 years of age. "After some days, I announced that a girls' football team would be organised. Soon, the sports-minded girls started joining me," says the 33-year-old. "I selected

some such girls who could run well, and I went to their parents to let their daughters train with me. I also told the parents that I would take care of their education by giving them a personal study hour. Inspired by the girls learning the skills fast, I started adding boys to my project as well." Ahmed says that the main criteria for selecting kids was those who were poor but good at sports. “I looked at various organisations in the world who are all working in this sector and studied all the documents they published. Mainly, the Indian 'Magic Bus' concept inspired me a lot," he recalls. Working with and through football has led to wideranging changes in other areas of life as well. "We provide the poor kids with highly desirable benefits of a physically active lifestyle that contribute to competence in lifelong physical activities, attaining social and psychological life skills like interpersonal skills, resistance skills and improving developmental outcomes such as confidence, motivation, and perseverance," he says. Logistics and training Through his association with the Bangladesh Football Federation, Ahmed knew that there were no football academies in his country of note. “Football development schools that do exist are present only in name,” he says. "For an academy, land, buildings and training facilities are a must. So we learnt to made do with less. For us, the sandy riverside area is the main training facility and the training equipment are from various structures like abandoned half-built bamboo house, cement blocks, staircases, cement slopes: I am making the fullest use of structures the government has build – it's all free of cost," he explains. It is on these flats that Ahmed and his cousin teach these kids the art of step-overs, cuts and feints, as well as the more crucial elements of the game such as shooting, dribbling and tackling. Because of his tenure in football administration, Ahmed has access to a large collection of DVDs which he uses to demonstrate skills to his potential graduates, in addition

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to performing them himself to show them how it is done. Ahmed's organization provides juice, a pack of biscuits, a boiled egg, and a banana to each of the players after training, which cost about $10 per day per head. "Sports shoes, boots, shorts, jerseys, sports bags, balls, guards etc. are provided step by step depending on the overall progress of each player. Trainees start with barefoot or with their own gear – in the beginning they are not provided with the nutritional supplement either. All equipment plus nutritional supplement is earned/achieved by each player's performances in each session.” At present, it is his family business, Nandita Properties, that provides him with the funds he requires to procure the food and gear he provides these kids. He soon plans to convert this fledgling set up into a non government organisation, which will allow him to seek funding from investors throughout the world. Gaining recognition: His academy's proudest moment One of the pupils Ahmed helped nurture is now playing for the Kushtia State Team. 13-year-old Nilufa Yeasmin, one of the first children he took into his fold, trained under him for six months before representing her school at a football tournament. She was named the most skillful player of that tournament. A month later, the district's selectors came calling. "She told me that there will be a selection at the district stadium, where her school wants to take for a football trial and again, I allowed her to go," says Ahmed. “Nilufa got picked by the selectors for the district football team," he says."That was the greatest moment I'd ever enjoyed and I felt that my concept had started working. The reaction of the others at the camp was tremendous. They all became very excited and most importantly, showed their willingness to train for getting into the district team.” The opposition or derision Ahmed had faced from the community before Nilufa’s selection puts the changed societal attitude towards girls in sports in perspective. “Many people told me to stop wasting my time and money on poor children. They said I have lots of money to waste and that I must be mad.” Ahmed smiles, “It took me a long time to gain people's confidence, especially the parents' confidence. Now parents tell me that their children's food habits have improved, they sleep and study more, and are

becoming more active in their families and social lives. Feedback such as this helps: Nowadays, girls and their mothers come to the training grounds to request me to include them in the project too." It's not just the parents of his beneficiary children who feel this way: his own parents do too. "My parents and specially my uncle have become active champions of my work.” In addition to just playing the sport, Ahmed makes it compulsory for his young players to devote time to study on a daily basis. Long-term plans Ahmed says he will try to spread this concept countrywide through a football federation or sports department of the government."After that, I want to make an ideal football academy to support the NGO." Ahmed says he has good contacts with coaches in his country, so hiring them once he takes the next step in developing his academy will be easy. Because of his time in the administrative world of football, finding local sponsors will also not be a challenge for him. He also aims to solve several problems that contribute to poverty by promoting an anti-drug attitude, increasing the living standard, empowering women and educating the impoverished. “Active play deters children from taking on a drug habit,” he says. Training and academics aside, Ahmed is also teaching the children on social responsibility. “I will take eight years per player to build him/her as an international standard football player available to other countries or locally," says Ahmed. "Football is a universal language. All of the football stars in the world are from poor society and poor background. It changed their life," he says.

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CHANGING LIVES THROUGH FOOTBALL Manish Sharma Manish Sharma traces the socioemotional trajectory of the Dream A Dream team that represented India at the Football for Hope Festival in 2014.

When Mohsina Fathima first told her father she had been selected for a football tournament in Brazil, his first query was, “Will you have to play wearing shorts?” The third of five daughters from a family in Bismillah Nagar, Bangalore, Mohsina knew that it was now or never if she wanted to live her dream of football glory. The 17-yearold was in a world of her own. “For a couple of hours every day, I forget all my problems. Football helps me do that.” Mohsina and five other youngsters — Rajeshwari, Pallavi, Bhaskar, Praveen Kumar and Srikanth S — from vulnerable backgrounds represented India at FIFA's Football for Hope Festival 2014 which was held in Rio de Janeiro from July 2nd to 10th 2014 parallel to the Football World Cup. Dream A Dream was chosen in recognition of its outstanding contribution to advancing social development through football. Srikanth, who was the goal keeper during the squad, said, “The FIFA tour was a life-changing experience for me. It completely altered my way of thinking. I saw different cultures from all over the world and I now understand a lot more about the impact of sports on our lives.” This rare opportunity enabled some of these youngsters to play hard, while making a lot of friends in Brazil and with the football fraternity from around the world. “It was the first time I travelled in a plane. We made many new friends from across the globe with whom we continue to keep in touch through online forums,” said Pallavi S., “I didn't have the heart to leave Brazil after such a wonderful experience”. The team played seven matches during the festival of which they won their first match against the Portugal team. While the team only secured 9 points out of 21 for their match points, they

scored high on the fair play category, securing 20 out of 21 points. They won three matches in the mixed matches category, where the team players of 32 different countries were shuffled. Suchetha Bhat, COO of Dream A Dream, says life skills learnt through sports initiatives validates what Dream A Dream stands for: "This initiative validates for us our commitment to the development of youth in India and how important it is to prepare young people from vulnerable backgrounds with life skills, to be successful in a complex and fast changing world. It also validates our belief that when we engage young people in powerful learning experiences, such as football, they are able to build the skills, rise above their circumstances and take on their dreams. Most importantly, the FFH Festival validates how important it is for the world to come together and work collaboratively for a better future for everyone.” Vishal Talreja, CEO, Dream A Dream, says, “This trip is something that certainly changed the lives of the 6 young people. We are beginning to see the tide turn after 15 years of committed effort. Hundreds of young graduates from our programmes are beginning to take leadership in their life and communities and become true changemakers and it is just adding more inspiration to our movement of changing the script for these young people”. Having spent eleven days in Brazil, the young people returned to Bangalore with a bag full of priceless memories. They were each selected for their leadership potential and it's now up to them to put what they've learned in Brazil to good use in and around their community.

“T he miracle isn’t that I finished. T he miracle is that I had the courage to start.” - John Bingham, Marathoner

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“T he sport for development sector is not something nice and fluffy going on at the fringes of the serious business of football; it has the potential to create meaningful change… Football, the world's most popular sport, not only ignites passion in Brazil's favelas or India's slums, but in World Cup stadiums, on the pitch and in the stands. Football is a common passion shared by people in the throes of poverty, but also by those who have the resources to make a significant difference. T hat is why the key to creating true social change through football is to have all parts of the football world–clubs, players, coaches, fans–cooperate with one another.” – Steve Fleming and Verónica Escobar in Sport for development: the power of football to create social change in www.theguardian.com

Sport and Peace

Photo used for representational purposes only

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USING PLAY TO PROMOTE PEACE IN SRI LANKA Kassapa Diyabedanage Kassapa Diyabedanage outlines a peace building Sport for Development initiative in the conflictridden island country of Sri Lanka. In the 30-year long ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka, hopes of sustainable development and peaceful coexistence have decreased and the country's development severely limited. Although the military strike of spring 2009 has put an end to open war, post-conflict politics leaves little room to (re)build relationships and promote dialogue across ethnic and religious boundaries. Few platforms for exchange that transcend ethnic, religious and gender boundaries exist. Mistrust and intolerance among different ethnic groups is rife. In an era of postconflict, children and young people are especially in need of long-term future opportunities that provide emotional and social stability. Sport & play offer a unique platform to overcome mistrust, heal emotional wounds and to find ways to channel frustration and aggression. It also provides a basis for peaceful co-existence, to build relationships, and promote inter-ethnic dialogue and exchange. The Future Peace approach Future Peace is a small, island-wide youth network/NGO focusing on youth empowerment and dialogue in Sri Lanka. Future Peace uses a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation system to assess the effectiveness of sport and play as an innovative approach in peacebuilding, and at ultimately passing on the knowledge to other relevant actors for replication and scaling up in other regions of Sri Lanka. Sport & Play for Dialogue was introduced and piloted by the Swiss Academy for Development (SAD) in 2009. Over 300 children from 8 villages participate in the guided sport and play activities. Sport & Play serves as a platform for children and youth to enter into dialogue and build relationships transcending ethnic boundaries. Sport & Play has been serving as a platform for children and youth to enter into dialogue and (re)build relationships transcending ethnic/religious/gender boundaries. SAD has trained local youth from the

selected villages as coaches in sport pedagogy, conflict and disaster management and monitoring and evaluation. The skills acquired and the experiences gained by them are incorporated into the sport and play activities conducted three times a week regularly with children and youth to promote inter-ethnic dialogue and teach ways of dealing with conflict in a non-violent manner. The coaches act as multipliers in training 'new' coaches for the future. The games used in the activities are transformational games and not traditional sports/games. The main focus lies on the process of the game (how it is being played, respect, fair play, how the team/individuals deals with disputes, disagreements etc) and less on the final result of winning/losing. Adapting the rules of games such as volleyball and netball, the coach intervenes and gets the participants to think inclusively. The participants modify the rules to include all players (shorter, weaker players, girls, etc.). At the end of each sport and play session, a discussion is conducted by the coaches to talk about conflicts and disputes that occurred during the games. Here the children learn to articulate and deal with conflict through discussion rather than through (physical) violence, which has been their habitual way of dealing with conflicts. Community Impact The project has been already very successful in actively involving parents and the relevant stakeholders into the project and thus winning their confidence over the project and its activities; e.g. the New Year Festival in past years. The joint celebration of the New Year Festival is a novelty in Sri Lanka. This event brings together over 2,000 Singhalese and Tamils beyond the 8 villages in the Monaragala district. This festival gave the project a lot of prominence, and provided a good entry point for gradually involving their parents and important stakeholders in the inter-ethnic dialogue process. Likewise, the Singhalese and Tamil children and their parents have jointly celebrated many religious and cultural festivals â&#x20AC;&#x201C; this is a novel to Sri Lanka. Kassapa Diyabedanage is Director, Future Peace.

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A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD FOR PEACE Sumanya Anand Velamur In February 1981, the Melbourne Cricket Ground was abuzz with cricket fans thronging the stands as Australia took on New Zealand in the third one-day international during the Benson & Hedges World Series Cup. With one ball to go, New Zealand needed to make six runs to draw with Australia. In an effort to leave no stone unturned, the Australian captain at the time, Greg Chappell, instructed his bowler, Trevor Chappell, to bowl underarm, making it impossible for the New Zealand batsman at the crease, Brian McKechnie, to lift it off the ground for a six. The disreputable ball was played and Australia won that match. The incident, however, is now remembered as one of the most shameful sporting moments in cricketing history. While the incident could have happened between any two nations, it was even more significant that it took place between two traditional arch rivals, Australia and New Zealand. So well-known is their rivalry that both the state heads of the time felt obliged to comment on the incident. Incidents like the one described above, contest the notion that sport is apolitical, and therefore, unproblematic in essence. It was not in jest that Eduardo Galeano (1998), in his book, Soccer in Sun and Shadow, compares the sport of soccer to choreographed war. If any one of us were to think of our childhoods, we remember the playground as one of the spaces where we identified the leader, the bully, the follower, the recluse, the ally, and the scapegoat. While we made friends for life, we also made equally long-lasting foes. If sport is so fraught with group dynamics, what makes it an ideal vehicle for peace? The biggest challenge of developing a sport-for-peace programme, is the actual bridging of gaps between different peoples with the seemingly innocuous tool, sports. Enough research (see Sugden, 2010; Schulenkorf and Sugden, 2011) has been conducted to show that that a sport-for-peace programme requires more than just good intentions. For conflict to be resolved, a different kind of engagement between communities is essential, one that redefines the way each community thinks of the other. In cases of ethnic conflict, for instance, Varshney (2001) contends that if civil society organisations are to be the harbinger of peace, they are more likely to

succeed if they foster engagement between ethnic groups rather than within. Interethnic engagement between communities makes it easier for the communities to absorb ethnic shocks. Essentially, pitting conflicting groups against each other could be counterproductive, creating more harm than good (think what an India-Pakistan match does to fan the alreadyexisting rivalry in the subcontinent). On the other hand, if we were to create heterogeneous teams that engaged in competitive sports, we are more likely to make headway in building bridges between warring parties. Easier said than done! Wallis and Lambert (2014) testify that while Football for Peace in Israel has managed to achieve a degree of cross-cultural engagement, the very beginning was shaky as the Jewish community withdrew from the programme for security reasons. Communities, specifically those in the throes of conflict, are likely to form exclusive enclaves that minimize cross-cultural interaction. Just the logistics of bringing different communities into the same playing field is daunting. More so, if you have to do this with the deafening sound of bullets in the background. References Galeano, E. (1998). Soccer in Sun and Shadow. New York: Verso. Schulenkorf, N., & Sugden, J. (2011). Sport for Development and Peace in Divided Societies: Cooperating for Inter-Community Empowerment in Israel. European Journal for Sport and Society, 8 (4), 235-256. Retrieved from http://www.ejss.ch/PDF-Dateien/ejss2011_Vol8_Issue4_SchulenkorfSugden_Sport%20for%20Development%20and%20Peace%20in%20Divid ed%20S ocieties-Cooperating%20for%20Inter-Communi ty%20 Empowerment%20in%20Israel.pdf Sugden, J. (2010). Critical left-realism and sport interventions in divided societies. International Review for the Sociology of Sport, 45 (3), 258-272. Retrieved from http://irs.sagepub.com/content/45/3/258.full.pdf+html Varshney, A. (2001). Ethnic Conflict and Civil Society: India and Beyond. World Politics, 53 (3), 362-398. Retrieved from http://journals. cambridge.org/action/displayAbstr act?fromPage=online&aid=7678296&fil eId=S0043887100020165 Wallis, J., & Lambert, J. (2014). Reflections from the Field: Challenges in Managing Agendas and Expectations around Football for Peace in Israel. In N. Schulenkorf and D. Adair (Eds.) Global Sport-for-Development- Critical Perspectives (pp.99-113). Basingstoke: Palgrave McMillan.h and PeaceBuilding are his key areas of interest.

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BUILDING INTER-COMMUNITY SPACE IN MUMBAI Dr Rama Shyam Dr Rama Shyam describes her experiences of running one of South Asia’s very few peace-building Sport for Development initiatives. History of the organisation Founded in 1997 as an interfaith cricket club, SAHER shaped up into an organization addressing the impact of communal conflict, and focuses on rebuilding faith between people. SAHER's work started in Jogeshwari, Mumbai where one of the worst implications of the communal violence in '92-93 was a growing sense of insecurity among the resident population. This resulted in cross-migration of people, where the minority population (from both Hindu as well as Muslim communities) migrated out of their residing places, as they felt threatened. Settlement patterns, even otherwise demarcated across communal lines, were completely ghettoized after the '92-93 communal violence. The lives of the youth from both communities were thrown into a tizzy as an aftermath of this violence resulting in loss of lives, leaving behind scars and painful memories. Evolution of the philosophy of the organisation SAHER's philosophy when it began was very simple and based on the strength that communities draw from coexisting. In the course of our deeper work with young people and then children, this philosophy expanded to include a shift from tolerance to acceptance to appreciation of differences. As we began unlearning our own prejudices and preconceived notions about development, we very closely examined what goes into the education of children of this country which is hugely diverse – spanning across geographies, cultures, languages, faith denominations and social structures that change almost every hundred odd kilometres! We realised that in order to develop the idea of India as a homogeneous nation, several aspects of our rich diversity are ironed out before bringing them to children, leaving young minds with little to question, explore and build upon their own magical moments they may discover. Based on this premise, at SAHER we began saying that “Let us understand that hum sab ek nahin hain (we are all not one). The facts that we are all different, we think

differently, we like to disagree and we like to argue and experiment make us a beautiful mosaic. The moment we wish to homogenise people, we will lose this charm and spirit to discover.” Our philosophy therefore is based upon acceptance, criticism, self-introspection and democratic expression and appreciation of multiple realities. My evolution as an individual has been intrinsic to my association with SAHER and has been a part of how I have contributed to and learnt from our work. I would like to cite some anecdotal references to trace my continuous evolution and three of them are extremely significant. While I had made it my mission in life to work on bringing people from various faith backgrounds together, a little dent was made by a 12 year old boy I was accompanying for a camp. He was a Muslim boy who had grown up in a Muslim ghetto where public and private spaces are starkly segregated based on gender. When this boy had to sit inside an autorickshaw, he pointed to a girl inside and said aloud, “Among us, we are not allowed to sit beside girls, that too a nonMuslim”. What dawned upon me was the mammoth task I had undertaken as an individual and I was startled to realise that I had no thought of the starting age for such opinions to be formed. In another instance, I was in Birmingham, UK, in 2009 where I went to a fish-and-chips shop to get a taste of the much-feted English savoury. I met a middle aged Pakistani who served there and was most welcoming. After serving me, he joined me at my table and assuming from my looks that I would be a South Asian – an Indian to be precise – he ventured to speak with me in Urdu and was very happy about it. His English friend – another shop personnel – asked him “Where is she from?”, the Pakistani gentleman replied “She is from India”. The Englishman prodded on, “Where is India?” “Just next to Pakistan – very similar”. It was a reality check for me to know that there are people in this world who may not know India (bigger and richer!) and would know Pakistan (smaller and poorer!) only since they have known more Pakistanis. It really depends on what our associational ties are and that is how we construct our worlds.

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My third anecdote revolves around the clarity that my almost four year old son brings in as he navigates smoothly between different religious traditions. When he was two and half years old, he had started bowing down in submission as in namaaz, just as he saw his grandmother doing. The same year, he visited my Hindu parents in Bengal and as my mother sat before her miniature Gods, my son sat next to her and performed all the namaaz movements. This year, he insisted upon going to the local Gurudwara for Guru Nanak Jayanti and performed the same movements before the Granth Sahib along with a namaste. My son has grown up with SAHER and I feel his clarity is helping me learn what more I can bring into working with children through the organisation. Children, as much as adults must be left to discover and make meaning out of relationships they form. Using sports in SAHER programmes In 1997, SAHER began as an interfaith cricket club for youth and taking this spirit forward, we have been organizing an annual Interschool Sport Meet since 2004 for children from across 20 schools based in segregated settlements that hinder exposure and interaction. With 500-600 children participating in this annual meet every year, we have engaged more than 5,000 children and around 30 Physical Education (PE) teachers in the last ten years. This is an annual event that is much looked forward to by learners and teachers alike and has become a signature space for the entire community to come together. Between 2012 and 2013, as a consolidation of our sport based efforts, we launched an intensified Sport for Peace programme, which employs football as a means of reaching out to young girls and boys, from various religious, socio-economic and caste backgrounds. Children interact to know each other and the process enables them to challenge personal and communal stereotypes based on socio-religious identities. Currently, 120 children from four schools are enrolled in this programme. A more concentrated group of 25 adolescents have been part of a SAHER-Magic Bus partnership for Sport for Development and these young people are now at a juncture where they are training to become peer educators for other children from the community. Team sports are seen as powerful tools to unify and mobilize youngsters, as they work together in achieving the same goals, learn to share space and resources and show respect for each other. Infusing these with performance oriented pursuit of sporting skills will only increase the importance attached to sport as a means to good health, meaningful career options and a pathway

for developing personal and social capabilities. We are seeing this play out in reality as our young volunteers have mobilized 50 young girls and boys from across ghettoized settlements in Jogeshwari (East). Every Sunday, an open space that remain underutilized for long becomes a lively play field with boys and girls running with the ball even as they are mentored by adult volunteers from TCS who are equally committed and look forward to these Sundays. Benefits of using sports in building peace Roshan and Raj are from a Hindu settlement in Jogeshwari East and had never been across the road and had no idea about what existed on the other side. Similarly, Fahad and Faisal had been told never to go across the road to the non-Muslim localities. It was the football team that brought them together and the SAHER office served as a common space where the friendships flowered and matured. Faisal, Roshan, Raj and Fahad are now active volunteers who choose to work together, induct more children into the Sport programme, share stories about their love life and avow to keep away from drugs (the neighbourhoods here have high incidence of substance abuse) with support from each other. For me, this has come about from continuous relationship building through the sport programme where structured sessions have spilled over into evening of sharing food, going to places afar to celebrate a friend's birthday or travelling to Sandhya didi's child's naming ceremony to faraway Kharghar and then calling up each other's parents to explain reasons for delay in returning home! Sport for Peace that began in 2004 has also given us four of our active volunteers who went on to become members of the staff team and governing board. Gaus, an assistant coordinator at SAHER often goes back in memory to recount how his mother had always told him that “Hindus are different from us…make friends only with Muslims”. Gaus was made to volunteer in SAHER's interschool Sport Meet in 2004 by his brother who had committed youth volunteers to this programme. This two day affair was a turning point in his life. As Gaus says, “I found scores of Hindu, Muslim, Christian and Sikh children playing together, competing as well as having fun. I decided that this was it…I will help this cause and I have stuck with SAHER for the last 11 years.” Sport for Peace at SAHER has created an amazing platform for young people to take a leap beyond their comfort zones, challenge their stereotypes and discover that youth from across the country have similar aspirations, confusions, spunk and the thirst to know more.

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The fact that they come from different backgrounds becomes incidental, and the wonders of this multilayered and complex world starts to open up before their eyes.â&#x20AC;? Sport has the power to mobilise, organise and build teams and these teams can then work deep into their self and then swim out to face the world with a renewed competence to manage diversity and build stronger and more sustainable relationships. These teams realise that lack of peace cannot be addressed in the air since it is related to material security, issues of discrimination based on gender, access to services and information and real participation in functioning of democratic institutions.

fire Eram had within her. A young Muslim girl, who never imagined stepping out and always busy with household chores was initiated into the sport programme. Eram came with extremely low self esteem and our coordinator had to work not just with her, but her entire family including a strict elder brother and a supportive younger one. We realised in the due course that peace work is not restricted to intercommunity relations but also includes intra-community hurdles that can cripple aspirations of young girls. There were instances when Eram sneaked out to participate in football sessions when her father slept in the afternoon.

Sport for Peace must go beyond tokenisms of ensuring that girls come and play with boys. It must go right into the families to encourage them to trust their girls and dream along with them.

There came a time when Eram enrolled to resume her studies, became confident, celebrated cooking as an art â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and not as a routine chore â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and finally decided to take up a job. She is a mature earning member of her family now and one of our inspirations.

Our Sport for Peace initiative enabled us to recognise the

Dr Rama Shyam is the Co-Founder of SAHER.

One of the few youth-led organisations working on youth issues through the lens of interfaith cooperation, SAHER reaches over 400 Indian youth annually, with another 2,000 benefitting from its outreach activities.

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SPORTS - A TOOL FOR PEACE AND DEVELOPMENT Dr M R Mishra Dr M R Mishra gives a brief overview of using sport as a tool for peace and development. Sport is currently considered as a tool of international development and peace. Sport for development and peace has grown rapidly over the past two decades, using sport as a tool to reduce social tension and conflict and to promote reconciliation and reconstruction, particularly where cross-community animosities and hostilities remain strong. Everywhere in the world sport plays an important role in society, for it is capable of conveying basic rules and essential values of peaceful coexistence â&#x20AC;&#x201C; such as tolerance, team spirit, loyalty and fair play. In addition, sport is especially suitable to form character skills, which are important for a fulfilling and happy life, because sport as a medium also gives the value of discipline, endurance, courage and self-motivation. By conveying the ethics of sport, it also lays the foundation for a more peaceful, humane world. In a world overwhelmed by negative news stories about violent conflict and war, there are thousands of organisations worldwide that persist in their fight for peace. The contribution sport can make towards peacebuilding efforts has generally been considered at the grassroots and nation state levels. A study on the role of sport in fostering social integration among different ethnic groups in Indian schools showed that several factors contributed to the use of sport being successful in bringing about exchange and building relationships between different groups, including sport's non-verbal means of communication; sport as a means to engage in collective experience and establish direct physical contact; and sport's ability to transcend class divisions. The United Nations Report on the International Year of Sport and Physical Education 2005 highlights the benefits that sport can bring in building national identity and international solidarity, especially at the level of elite sport.

In a historic decision, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly approved by consensus a proclamation establishing an International Day of Sport for Development and Peace on 6 April. The Day is celebrated each year by different organisations by organizing sports to promote peace and unity. Sport can provide a positive image of the nation to the international community. Studies on specific cases have shown that sport, especially football, can positively contribute to strengthening national pride and forming a cohesive national identity. Through the creation of sport and cultural clubs and events like the 'Peace Marathon', Maidan by Magic Bus and MasterPeace, local authorities and people are given the opportunity to engage and discuss social issues on the sidelines of sporting events, including security and peace, the environment, community development, entrepreneurship, health, the prevention of diseases like AIDS and malaria, the prevention of unwanted pregnancies, birth control, reconciliation, respect for human rights, and respect for others. Sport can bring different people and cultures together, Sport is a very powerful tool that can be employed in order to overcome differences between different groups. Sport is essentially a human language through which relations can be harmonized. Dr M R Mishra, PhD is Country Coordinator at MasterPeace India.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Of course, sport cannot impose peace, but it can contribute to inspiring it! Sport has the power to reach many people across the globe and, in essence, is a language understood by everyone.â&#x20AC;? - Jacques Rogge

Sport and Inclusion

Photo used for representational purposes only

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IMAGE: MOVING FROM OSTRACISM TO INCLUSION Sneh Gupta and Adam Wright The authors describe a small but power-packed Sport for Development initiative from Rajasthan, India. Indiability is a Rajasthan-based charity working towards social inclusion and equal opportunities for people with physical disabilities. In 2005, with the support of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, the organisation established the IMAGE (Indian Mixed Ability Group Events) programme, which uses disabled and non-disabled young people to help tackle the stigma faced by the disabled population of India. The IMAGE programme began as sports clubs for children with mixed ability in schools, and has recently developed into a community outreach programme combining sports with learning objectives to enhance its influence in villages â&#x20AC;&#x201C; areas where people with disabilities are most severely ostracized.

The project has been hugely successful on multiple levels; toilets are beginning to get installed as a result of awareness raising sessions on sanitation, whilst disabled members of the project are now referred to as 'Sir' or 'brother' rather than the derogatory terms initially used when IMAGE started. Significant progress has been made towards changing archaic mindsets around disability and ensuring disabled people enjoy the same rights and respect as their non-disabled counterparts. Despite this progress, disabled people remained unable to utilize the state's bus services as they faced prejudice from the Rajasthan bus drivers and conductors. Drivers would often drop disabled passengers a long distance from their desired destination to discourage them from using the bus in future, or fail to pick them up for fear of delaying their schedule.

Photo credit: Indiability

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To correct this situation, a cricket match was arranged between a mixed ability group of young people participating in the IMAGE Community programme and the bus conductors of the Rajasthan State Road Transport Corporation. And what a match it turned out to be! The IMAGE members who played in the game took up positions that suited their disability and the match looked to be a close affair until the end of IMAGE's 15 overs. The bus conductors looked in control. In order for IMAGE to win, 5 runs were needed off 2 balls, which seemed almost impossible considering the circumstances. But it was IMAGE Youth Mentor Mahendra Singh, an amputee, who brilliantly dealt with the penultimate ball, firing off a six, to the delight of the hundreds of spectators of the IMAGE community and from neighboring villages. A Bollywood script writer could not have thought of a more exciting finish to the game. Over 1200 IMAGE supporters sprinted onto the field and carried team Captain Janak Singh, whose legs are paralyzed by polio, around the Barkatullah Khan stadium for a well-deserved and very emotional victory lap. It

was on this very same cricket ground, only 18 months ago, that Singh was thrown out of the stadium for being disabled when he tried to take part in a government-run, ward-level cricket tournament. This cricket match forged a relationship between IMAGE and the RSRTC that has done both parties very proud. Lifetime Disability Travel Passes were issued to 115 IMAGE members and students with disabilities, whilst the pro-disability banners plastered on the 141 buses servicing Jodhpur and its surrounding villages carrying the message “Citizens with disability may require your assistance. Come, let's travel towards a better society” remain on the buses to this day. The cricket-match has showed the RSRTC workforce that having a disability does not mean you have no ability. Ever since the event took place, all rural buses not only always stop in front of the SKSN institute, a residential school for the physically challenged, but the bus conductors actually call out for passengers with disabilities! What an amazing change after just a cricket match. This is the true power of sport!

“Disability need not be an obstacle to success … It is my hope that … this century will mark a turning point for inclusion of people with disabilities in the lives of their societies.” - Professor Stephen Hawking United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities In December 2006, the United Nations enacted a comprehensive legislation called the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. T he purpose of the convention is to promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights by persons with disabilities. Importantly, the convention also includes in Article 30.5, specific legislation on the rights of people with a disability to participate on an equal basis with others in recreational, leisure and sporting activities. T his convention is a major step toward changing the perception of disability and ensures that societies recognise that all people must be provided with the opportunities to live life to their fullest potential, whatever that may be. Other human rights treaties, such as the conventions on the rights of children and women have had a major effect in addressing rights violations and this new convention is a major milestone in the protection of human rights of people with a disability around the world. Source: http://www.sportanddev.org

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BREAKING BARRIERS THROUGH PLAY: THE KILIKILI EXPERIENCE Kavitha Krishnamoorthy Kavitha Krishnamoorthy describes a ‘play’-ful initiative to curb discrimination in Bangalore, India. “How come we never see a child with a disability in a public play space?” An innocuous statement by a parent of a young child with a disability, visiting a local neighbourhood park in Bangalore, sometime in mid-2004 sparked an initiative that is changing how public play spaces are designed and used. Kilikili is a Trust formed by a group of parents of children with disabilities, based in Bangalore, supported by professionals and volunteers, that brings together two sets of stakeholders – the local Municipal Corporation and other government agencies on the one hand and parents, volunteers, disability rights organisations, citizens’ groups, residents’ associations, special and regular schools, on the other - all united in ensuring inclusive play spaces that

children with and without disabilities can together use. Kilikili, since 2006, has been lobbying the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahangara Palike (BBMP) – the Municipal authority – to make public play spaces inclusive and ready to welcome children with disabilities. This involves enrolling authorities at all levels into the vision for Inclusive public play spaces, working on universal and inclusive play space and equipment design, working with the BBMP-appointed contractors to give them relevant inputs and monitor the execution of the design. Once the Inclusive Play Spaces is created, Kilikili works to build a community of special schools, regular schools, families and volunteers who use the play space through programmes such as weekday visits by special schools, Inclusive Saturday morning events etc. Today, India has 6 inclusive play spaces, 3 in Bangalore that Kilikili has facilitated directly and 3 developed through partnerships with local community groups, one each in Mumbai (with Hope Foundation, a parents’ group), Nagpur (driven by ESAF, an NGO) and Mangalore (with a citizens’ group).

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The impact For many children with disabilities, the Inclusive play spaces often represent their first step into a public play space, and one of the first times that other typically growing children have played with them. It has also helped them in their developmental growth, in areas such as reduction of fear, language growth in terms of requesting for favourite play items in the park, familiarity with what is expected in a public park and making new friends at the park. For typically-growing children, inclusive events enable them to first see and then learn to interact with a child with a disability. Wherever a regular school has been consistent in sending its children for all the events, children are very comfortable interacting with children with disabilities and are able to first do things for them or help them (pushing a wheelchair, rotating the merry-goround) and gradually move to playing with them!

For families, the inclusive play spaces have brought about a sense of joy and pride. Parents of children with disabilities are overcome with emotion seeing their child being welcomed at an inclusive play space â&#x20AC;&#x201C; something they had never imagined would happen. It has slowly helped parents bring their children out into the open, secure in the knowledge that there would be volunteers from the larger community taking care of them. The buzz around the inclusive play spaces has also helped bring play into the agenda of special schools resulting in play receiving focused attention as a developmental need. Kilikili is now working on a set of policy guidelines and a technical manual which we hope will inspire many more groups across the country to invest in developing inclusive play spaces that will take all of us, as a community closer to the goal of Inclusion for all children, irrespective of abilities.

Building on the strength of an empowered network of local communities taking ownership of these public play spaces, Kilkili is now advocating for a national policy to shift the paradigm of creating inclusive play spaces within existing public parks infrastructure. If you would like a copy of the Guidelines and Manual, please email us at kavitha@kilikili.org

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EXPOSITION, EVIDENCE, CRITIQUE & COOPERATION Setika Singh Inclusion can be understood as the “Process of improving the ability, opportunity and dignity of people, disadvantaged on the basis of their identity, to take part in society”(World Bank, 2013). Accordingly, this multidimensional process emphasises on access to resources and economic, social, and political institutions (Oxoby, 2009). Authors have made varying propositions to promote inclusion and reduce isolation for the excluded. This excluded population varies greatly, both in terms of their character and extent of exclusion (UN, 2014). It can include indigenous people, adolescent girls and women, refugees, asylum seekers, minority ethno-cultural groups, disabled persons, homeless as well as out of school children and unemployed youth. Abundant evidence has been created to support the argument that participation in sport can foster inclusion amongst the disadvantaged. It is widely argued that “Sport transcends boundaries and provides opportunities for all human beings regardless of race, colour, religion, age, physical ability, circumstances or economic background, to connect with each other and the world around them” (Justine Curatolo, 2014). For instance, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare highlights that structured sporting programmes can increase social inclusion by allowing participants to experience consistency, build trusting relationships and bringing people from different backgrounds together using activities as the common goal (Ware and Meredith, 2013). Sports not only provides citizens with the opportunities to interact and join social networks and develop relations with other members of the society, but also has inimitable impacts on the distinctive groups within the excluded population. Sport-related programmes can provide girls with a chance to be leaders, improve their confidence and self esteem while offering education through an intrinsically captivating and informal methodology. Their participation not only inculcates new interpersonal skills but also allows access to new opportunities, which further permits them to become more engaged in school and community life. Implicitly, their participation in

sports also contests stereotypical assumptions about women's capabilities, breaking down deep-rooted attitudes and reducing discrimination. Comparably, sports also contributes to integrating persons with disabilities into the society. Sports-related programmes can facilitate positive social interaction, change the community's perception of the disabled and also reduce isolation for them. In a safe environment, sports can ensure positive learning that is fun, participatory and experiential. Conceptually, it can be used as an instrument for generating social capital; a crucial element in responding to problems of social exclusion. Social capital serves the functions of bonding, bridging and linking people, systems and institutions to bring about broader change. However, one needs to be warned that social inclusion and cohesion should not be considered as the sole impacts of sports, but rather a well-harmonized component of a holistic community approach. Furthermore, these programmes should adopt a longterm approach that stimulates the entire ecosystem — micro to macro level — of the disadvantaged, consequently achieving sustainability in the programmes impact. Moreover, a united and coordinated push by all stakeholders — UN bodies, non-government organisations, governments, development agencies and sports organisations — for utilizing Sports for Development methodology needs to be realised and harnessed to achieve all-inclusive developmental objectives, break down social barriers and create a healthy civic society, especially in today's multipolar international context. To paraphrase Anthony Lake, UNICEF Executive Director, people across the globe need to come together as a community and fully commit ourselves to reaching the hardest to reach: there can be no true progress in human development unless its benefits are shared – and even driven – by the most vulnerable among us.

Sport Sport and and Women Women

Photo used for representational purposes only

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MAKING CHOICES: THE RHETORIC AND THE REALITY Sanjana Gaind Me: Kyun? (Why?) Sanjay: Ladkiyon ke sanskaar bigaad raha hai. (It is corrupting the values of girls) Me: Kaisey? (What do you mean?) Sanjay: Bahar maidan mein khel rahi hai, football ke liye ladai kar rahi aur humarein muhn lag rahi hai. (They are playing outside in the field, fighting for the football with us, and talking back to us) Me: In teeno mein se, aapko dikkat kis baat se hai? (Out of these three things, what bothers you the most?) Sanjay: Sabhi se hai. Humko teeno ki hi aadat nahi hai na. (All three of them. We are not used to such behaviour of girls)1 On any given day, I would argue with him incessantly, making it very clear that the problem is not with the girls but with him. But, that day, I let him have the last word. Not because I had nothing to say to him, but because I felt a great sense of achievement and pride on behalf of the girls who had upset him and had challenged the patriarchal order and structure which is his comfort zone. He is visibly upset with the young girls in his village who have begun to question his authority. There are many other such men and boys in other villages as well, where the girls have begun to occupy and reclaim spaces like public grounds, which have traditionally been seen to be “male-only” spaces. They are angry, upset, and disturbed by this sudden demand for space by the girls. The increasing number of women and girls in a playground, running, playing, jumping, laughing, and fighting is upsetting norms, challenging controls, and transforming spaces. These people are meant to be invisible inside and not visible outside in public spaces. These people are meant to be monitored and controlled inside homes, those four-walled bastions of patriarchy. In this established order, how they choose to dress, choose to roam, choose to express, and choose to interact with others is not their decision. However, now in small and not-so-small ways, these structures of

power, of domination and silencing are being challenged. While some men and boys are not very happy with this overt display of females in the field, there are others who are being supportive and encouraging of this trend. Some react angrily, some positively, and some violently. It is not just the men and boys who are curious about what is happening. When sessions on topics like bodily changes, menstruation, sex, pregnancy, choice, consent, pleasure, rights, and autonomy are held as part of the It's My Body programme, many mothers accompany their daughters to these meetings to check what is being 'taught'. The local health workers are keen to participate in sessions on health, hygiene, nutrition, and menstruation. Sessions on sex, sexuality, choice, consent, and pleasure make them uncomfortable. The discomfort is not just at their end. We also share this anxiety in talking about these issues freely and openly. The fear of backlash and antagonism makes us choose our strategies, messages, mediums and language strategically and carefully. The title of the programme, ‘It’s My Body’, when translated into Hindi— Mera Sharir, Mera Adhikaar, comes across as ‘bold’ or ‘radical’ and there is some hesitation in using it, both on our part as well as that of organisations coimplementing this programme with CREA. The programme is very often projected as a programme on Reproductive Health, and the 'S' and 'R' in Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights are used cautiously. Words like 'hak' , 'adhikaar', 'pasand', 'anand' ,'yaunikta' (right, preference, pleasure, and sexuality) are used selectively and only in certain 'safe' settings and spaces. But, what happens, when these conversations are translated into actions outside these constructed ‘safe’ spaces? When Rashmi (name changed), from Jharkhand, insisted on wearing jeans in the village, her mother pulled her out of the programme. Neha (name changed) has refused to marry the boy her parents chose for her because she doesn't like the way he looks. Her parents are shocked and unhappy with this new assertion of her right to say ‘NO’. Kavita (name changed) slapped the boy who grabbed her hand at the tea shop.

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The first thing that she had to explain to her parents, family, and others was – why was she roaming outside the house in the evening? Sunita, Mamta, and Jyoti (names changed) come to attend these meetings on their bicycles. Some boys hide behind the trees place thorn traps on the way to puncture their bicycles, so that they can trouble and tease them. As a result, the girls have stopped staying back for volleyball practices in the evening and head home before it gets dark. There are several question marks outside of these 'safe' settings, where girls feel 'empowered', informed, and confident. All our conversations and discussions in these spaces and the choices girls make often have repercussions. What is the kind of resistance they face outside these safe spaces? How do they negotiate with those who are not part of this 'safe' space? How do they retain this confidence when they are outside this setting? What are the struggles they face to be a part of this group? Why is it that if something goes wrong, it is the girls who have to back down? Why does the fear of harassment, abuse, and violence hold them back from participating in these collectives?

exclusive, rights affirming and safe spaces for women and girls is necessary. But is that enough when the application of these rights is in the “real world”? This article was first published on Ultra Violet (ultraviolet.in) on 15 May 2013 as the third post (http://ultraviolet.in/2013/05/15/making-choicesthe-rhetoric-and-the-reality) in a series of posts written from the experiences at CREA (www.creaworld.org) of co-implementing the It's My Body programme with 15 community based partner organisations. Sanjana Gaind works at CREA as Program Manager, Young Women’s Feminist Leadership.

The fear of the consequences for some of these young girls, who are questioning, challenging, and transforming the established social order, is everpresent. This compels us to reflect on our own strategies. We often ask ourselves whether we should tone down the rhetoric? Or should we let this fight run its own course? How do we make our processes of change more inclusive to include others who serve either as gatekeepers or as allies in this process? Creating

“When at 15, my girlfriends started dropping out of their beloved sports teams, because they didn't want to appear muscle-y, when at 18, my male friends were unable to express their feelings, I decided that I was a feminist.” - Emma Watson, Actor and UN Goodwill Ambassador

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EMPOWERING WOMEN OF NEPAL & 3 SISTERS ADVENTURE TREKKING Archana

Due to the patriarchal society in Nepal women are often discriminated against. From a very early age girls are reminded that they are of less value. Although gender issues are being addressed to a certain extent, disparities still exist between a boy and girl child. While parents send their sons to private boarding schools, girls are often sent to local government schools; boys are given the freedom to play and/or engage in extra curricular activities while girls are required to do household chores, take care of animals or collect firewood, water etc. More and more men are leaving Nepal in search of employment in foreign countries. This has meant that the women's workload is further increased. Many rural women in Nepal are now ploughing fields, traditionally men's work, in addition to their daily activities. In urban areas, women are engaged in all kinds of

occupations, which traditionally they were not considered suitable for â&#x20AC;&#x201C; such as pilots, mountaineers, doctors, engineers, drivers, etc. However, the number of women involved in high-risk professions, such as sex work, is also rising. The Government of Nepal, various line ministries, international organizations and non-profits have tried to address the socio, political and economic issues pertaining to women rights and issues by raising awareness regarding gender issues in the last 10 years. Radio, training and information workshops in towns and villages throughout the country have all been part of the campaign to raise awareness and improve health, hygiene, maternity care, domestic violence, early marriage, teen pregnancy, substance abuse and trafficking. There are now more women in politics (33.2 percent of parliamentary seats) helping to address these inequalities.

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History of EWN and 3 Sisters Adventure Trekking The 3 Sisters Adventure Trekking Company was established in 1994 in Pokhara, Nepal. Prior to that, the founders, the three sisters Lucky, Dicky and Nicky Karki Chhetri were running a small guest house and restaurant in Pokhara's Lakeside tourist area. Some of their female guests shared disturbing stories of being harassed by male guides on their treks. The sisters were shocked and saddened to hear such stories and decided to become guides themselves.

Nepal that provides a platform for rural, disadvantaged women who have few opportunities to develop their knowledge, learn and use their skills to earn an income to support themselves and their families, to travel to new places outside their isolated villages, to meet and communicate with other Nepalese women and share their stories, and interact with foreigners from all over the world. These three sisters have truly been role models for Nepalese women; true to their mantra they are â&#x20AC;&#x153;changing the world, one woman at a timeâ&#x20AC;?. Sports in Nepal

After a few years of being guides, the sisters could see the demand for female guides and assistants (porters) was growing. They started training young Nepali women to become professional mountain guides and assistants, giving them an opportunity to become selfsupporting and thus empowered. This led to the inception of Empowering Women of Nepal (EWN), a sister NGO of 3 Sisters Adventure Trekking. 3 Sisters Adventure is one of the few women-owned trekking companies in Nepal and EWN has trained nearly 1000 disadvantaged, rural women as become trekking guides and assistants. It is the only trekking company in

All over the world, outdoor sports, both spectator and participatory, bring people together and have numerous benefits. However, Nepali society does not place much value on sport. Both private and government school are obliged to offer a sports class only once a week which is not mandatory and many schools do not even offer this. Boys dominate any sports facilities organised or otherwise, whilst the girls are very self conscious and rarely participate. In co-educational schools much emphasis and support is given to the boys to engage and improve their sports skills with little assistance, if any, offered to girls.

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Empowering women through adventure tourism and sports One of the main goals of EWN is to use adventure tourism and sports to empower disadvantaged rural women who have been marginalized and discriminated against because of gender, caste, and social status. Twice a year, EWN provides intensive trekking guide training in Pokhara for young women. After a month's training, the trainees practice their skills in the field, going on a number of field trips through the trekking company. They can work their way up from porters to being assistants and eventually guides themselves once they have displayed competence. In the beginning, the idea of having women guides was not well received by the predominantly, male-dominated society of Nepal. Because some of the women were extremely poor, were involved in abusive relationships, and discriminated against, they had no courage to speak up to their husbands and families to let them work outside their homes. Some of the women who dared to challenge and change their lives are doing very well now. Not only are they learning skills and earning money, they are confident and happy. As a result, friends and families could see a positive change in them, and their own attitudes began started witnessing a positive shift. Now families are encouraging their daughters and wives to become trekking guides. Over the years, 3 Sisters Adventure Trekking and EWN have gone from strength to strength, expanding their trainings into rock climbing and basic mountaineering programmes. In 2011, four girls went on a mountain climbing expedition to summit Annapurna IV (7525m)

following several years of mountaineering training in Nepal and abroad coordinated by EWN. These women were amongst the first Nepali women to ever set foot in the Annapurnas and made history! The GOAL programme started in 2013. It is an outreach programme in local government schools for underprivileged children. The programme is designed to empower and educate young girls on pressing issues that affect their lives, for example, leadership, discrimination, violence against women, sexual health, trafficking and other pertinent social topics. Combining practical skill-based training programs with gainful employment opportunities, the common goal is to encourage our Nepali sisters to become selfsupportive, independent, decision-making women. EWNâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dreams and aspirations Sports and physical activity promote wellness and mental health for all. It is EWN's hope to spread awareness about the importance of sporting activities for young people as part of a well-balanced education. Our goal is to reach a broader community of people by continuing our current programs, expanding the GOAL programme to boys, further collaboration and community mobilisation efforts in the Kaski district and across the country using a sports for development programme. Our dream is to eventually build an adventure sports complex for young people to nurture and harness their sporting potential. As always, our goal is to target particularly disadvantaged Nepalis who have the right to equal opportunities to control and lead their own lives.

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;T he miracle isn't that I finished. T he miracle is that I had the courage to start.â&#x20AC;? - John Bingham, No Need for Speed: A Beginner's Guide to the Joy of Running

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LAUGH NAZMA, LAUGH! Arun Kumar No maidan is too small for a child who has never set her foot on one, says Arun Kumar. And no maidan is too big for a child once she starts running on it. Scene 1 When Nazma was asked to consider joining the Parivartan Kabaddi program, she had several hurdles to face. Not having played Kabaddi or mentored anyone before, however, were the smallest ones. The biggest obstacle was the fact that she had never set her foot outside her home to play in full public view. Girls in her neighbourhood don't play outside. In fact they hardly play. Upon coaxing, she made the participation of her sister a pre-condition.

Early next morning Nazma had her bag in hand, ready to head home. Her mother, sister and younger brother had returned home in the meantime but Nazma wanted to go home as she felt she could hold the family together. This is despite the fact that her father used to beat her as well and was unsupportive of her participation in Parivartan. It was impressed upon her that she needed to break the cycle of violence that was being perpetuated in the family. Her concerns of how the “people” would view their family were addressed and the fact that she needed to act differently to face the situation. Besides, her departure from the training would have serious consequences for her participation. A walk on the beach helped clear some cobwebs away and she finally decided to stay on. Scene 3

Apnalaya – a grassroots NGO working with these prospective mentors in Govandi, Mumbai, as part of the Parivartan programme to facilitate continuing girls' education and delaying the age of marriage via the sport of Kabaddi, in partnership with another NGO, The International Centre for Research on Women (ICRW) – had its work cut out. We explained to Nazma that there were certain criteria that the mentors needed to meet in order to participate in the programme and that she would be the sole participant from her family. Reluctantly, Nazma consented to be part of the programme. The first hurdle appeared to have been crossed. Scene 2 Tata JJ Institute of Nursing, Malad.

Formal Launch of Parivartan Programme. A few weeks later, Nazma was up on stage along with 9 other mentors on the day of the formal inauguration of the Parivartan programme. In her fineries, with a mike in hand and twinkle in her eyes, Nazma was the Master of the Ceremony. In a playful tone she was admonishing parents present in the audience for not allowing and encouraging their daughters to play. Her voice simultaneously had complaint and hope, pain and joy. It was heartening to see the journey she had made in such a short period. The battles she had fought to reach where she had were no mean feat for this braveheart! Her troubles are by no means over. She needs to take sessions with her group of athletes on the ground for Kabaddi and help make the transition with the girls she mentors – whose parents would have similar objections as that of her own family.

The first five-day training programme for mentors. The night of Day 2 saw Nazma come to the Apnalaya facilitators, very agitated: her father had beaten up her mother and thrown her mother, sister and younger brother out of the house.The trigger was the fact that her younger brother wanted to work. An argument ensued, which quickly escalated into a beating. Nazma was in tears, inconsolable. The facilitators asked her to sleep over it.

Nazma is helping the girls 'neutralize customs and traditions', as she puts it. Ask Nazma about her greatest gains in these months and pat comes the reply: to be able to step out of the house and laugh with other girls on anything and everything. Arun Kumar is the CEO, Apnalaya.

Sport and Livelihood

Photo used for representational purposes only

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MYSA’S LIVELIHOOD EXPERIENCE David Thiru David Thiru writes about building on the success of the Mathare youth. The Mathare Youth Sports Association (MYSA) started in 1987 as a small self-help youth project in the Mathare area, one of Africa's largest and poorest slums. Today over 20,000 youth of over 1,600 boys and girls teams in over 140 leagues in 16 zones participate in MYSA's sports, slum cleanup, AIDS prevention, leadership training and other community development activities. There are no special secrets for MYSA's success. The most important factors are the remarkable talents and determination of the youth, their commitment and ability to share what they learn with other youth. This has resulted in employment creation in various areas over the period of existence of MYSA. MYSA youth have ventured into employment through various channels:  Over 25% of all premier league players in Kenya are

graduates of MYSA and earn their living as professional and semi-professional players. Youth participating in MYSA activities eventually discover they have talent in sports and make the transition to employment using this talent.

 Sports Administration in another area where MYSA has

managed get some of its graduates into. For example the CEO of Kenyan Premier League is a former MYSA member.  Coaches, referees and physiotherapists is the other

area that MYSA graduates have ventured into for employment. At the moment in the Kenyan premier league at least 4 head coaches and a couple of assistant coaches are from MYSA. This is repeated at the lower national and county leagues.  MYSA graduates have ventured into drama, music,

dance and photography. A good number are now regular on Kenyan TV programmes as actors. We also have a number of members earning a living as photographers. One of our graduates who acquired photography skills at MYSA now works with the UN Habitat as a photographer. Fourteen boys and nine girls won football scholarships to colleges in Norway and the USA.  In 2009 Doreen Nabwire became the first female

footballer from East Africa to play in Europe. Over 40 alumni have played abroad, including Dennis Oliech (Auxerre) and Macdonald Mariga (Inter).

 MYSA puts emphasis on the philosophy 'you do

something, MYSA does something'. This encourages the youth to earn their leadership award where their school fees is paid by MYSA. This project helps put emphasis on the need to study, and the importance of academic development. We now have a good number of professionals in various fields - lawyers, doctors, teachers etc.

 All of MYSA’s staff - 31 of us - are MYSA graduates.

This way the organisation helps in the employability of their members by giving them a chance to learn within the organisation. David is Executive Director at MYSA.

 MYSA leaders and trainers have become trainers for

other organisations. They have conducted trainings in Botswana, Cape Verde, India, Mozambique, Senegal, South Africa, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Vietnam and Zambia.  MYSA youth have gone ahead to take elected positions

in the country. We currently have at least 4 elected officials in Nairobi who are former MYSA members.

“Your work is to discover your work and then, with all your heart, to give yourself to it.” - T he Buddha

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MAGIC BUS - THE JOURNEY FROM CHILDHOOD TO LIVELIHOOD Kusum Mohapatra With the global youth population reaching a historical high of 2 billion, economies worldwide are increasingly unable to provide young people with jobs. The situation has reached critical proportions in developing countries where 1.5 billion youth reside. As youth employment grew by only 0.2 percent over the past decade while the global youth population grew at a rate of 10.5 percent, the world is experiencing a youth employment crisis and the challenges surrounding youth livelihoods have become increasingly complex. Innovative and sustainable approaches are therefore necessary to ensure these young people are able to lead healthy and productive lives that contribute to socio-economic development in their communities. The Indian context Youth in the age group of 15-29 years comprise 27.5% of the population. At present, about 34% of India's Gross National Income (GNI) is contributed by the youth, aged 15-29 years. India is expected to become the 4th largest economy by 2025, contributing about 5.5%-6% to the world GDP, only after the United States, China and Japan. However, there exists a huge potential to increase the contribution of this category of the nation's citizenry by increasing their labour force participation and their productivity (National Youth Policy 2014). The Magic Bus programme design Working with youth, whatever their social or economic strata, comes with its own set of challenges. They are young, highly energetic, with a mind of their own, not as impressionable as the children - but quite gullible when it comes to aspirations and peer pressures. Youth today have higher aspirations – which they should – but data and research suggests a lack of skills in the youth that match their aspirations. This makes them highly frustrated and the world has seen highest attrition at entry-level jobs in the past two decades. For youth who live on the margins, it is even worse – let alone the skills gap, they do not even have the access to information on how or what steps they need to take to achieve what they want to do. This leads to serious problems around under employment resulting in an opportunity cost to

the youth and nation as a whole. For people who come from these backgrounds, our research in the areas we intervene in has shown something interesting. • • • •

A majority are first-time learners A huge numbers want to get into white-collared jobs They hold a higher value for jobs in urban areas There has been a gradual decrease in the traditional livelihoods, though that seems to be changing • A majority has negative perception towards business/ entrepreneurship work related to its success rate At Magic Bus, our work is based on the sustainable livelihoods framework. The sustainable livelihoods framework talks about looking at a local resource- and interest-based livelihoods. We strive to design a programme taking into account the resources (or capital) available to a young person. Usually, these are – human capital, physical capital, financial capital, social capital and/or natural capital. This maps not only the financial or physical resources, as done usually, but also the social capital. (Fig 1) This understanding has given Magic Bus an opportunity to work with youth and create job roles that are based on their strengths, interests and their locality. Before implementing the programme we complete an assessment of the market that involves four aspects:  Youth aspirations  Community perception of youth livelihoods (That includes parents, opinion leaders)  Employer market  Available service and specialised training providers

See figure 1, Sustainable Livelihoods Model. We use the following model to work with the youth that keeps the youth at the center and works on a programme that is best suited for him/her, based on location, interest and resources and opportunities that can be made available, resulting in a sustainable livelihood. This is aptly called Laqshya or 'target' as the youth decide what their personal target is rather than have a one-size-fit-all strategy.

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Sustainable Livelihoods Framework

This also helps the youth access local opportunities, look at traditional livelihoods in a different way, put less pressure on jobs and urban areas.

into our livelihoods programme, understanding the importance of a livelihood as well as owning responsibility of creating a career path for themselves.

Our strengths is the strong pipeline of youth that come through a long-term programme that has supported them during their formative years, enabling them to go to school and stay in school, grow up healthy and build their understanding around gender issues. They come

In the next few years Magic Bus will reach out to 1,00,000 youth giving them access and opportunity to get into either further education with an intent to work, employment or a career based training that is local and sustainable.

The Magic Bus Laqshya Model - Youth Livelihoods

Kusum Mohapatra heads the Youth Development programme at Magic Bus.

Sport and Development in the North East of India

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Book Review

THE PERIPHERAL CENTRE: VOICES FROM INDIA'S NORTHEAST Chandrika Rao The Peripheral Centre is an evocative non-fiction perspective about the situation in what is termed the 'North East' of India. While the term 'North East' is used in the title of the book, the author explains how this term has come about and how unfair it can be for several distinct cultures to be lumped under one geographical name that blurs their identity. This book has essays by practitioners and academicians, and most importantly people who are passionate about the region and would want peace and prosperity to reign here. This book puts into perspective the very real fear that the people of the 'North East' have about how the states are lagging behind in developmental indices, and how internal strife, and clashes with the government has led to an atmosphere of violence that has marginalised their existence. The book is written from a feminist point of view, and addresses the issues with empathy. Women in this region find themselves the target of violence from the state, from the militants and within their own homes. In times of conflict, women find themselves more vulnerable as they are responsible for their children and their own safety. The essays in this book are able to evoke empathy in the reader without ever having to resort to hyperbole. The women's movement, the post-traumatic stress, the socio-economic reality, the role of civil society and what is happening to the children and youth of the afflicted areas are all effectively communicated. The Peripheral Centre is a great read for those seeking a contemporary insight into the workings of society and economy in the eastern corner of the country.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is time for parents to teach young people early on that in diversity there is beauty and there is strength.â&#x20AC;? - Maya Angelou

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THE SUM OF ALL HOPES: SPORTS AND YOUTHS AT TIMES OF PEACE IN MIZORAM N William Singh Mizoram promotes sports and tournaments to foster unity among the youth in what is now a peaceful state, says N. William Singh. A senior colleague said to me once: “During the 1970s, the height of violence and conflict in Mizoram, many children played football and marbles on the streets; many of them did not attend schools. In a peaceful Mizoram, good thing is, almost all the children attend schools and they have well-managed playgrounds and indoor stadiums to play, rather than on the streets”. The Mizo Peace Accord of 1986 brings good fortune in every sphere of life in Mizoram. Until 2008, a playground in Aizawl, locally called the Lammual field, was the epicenter of sports in Mizoram. By 2009, the Lammual field was upgraded with modern amenities, a media bay and night playing facilities. It is also the first astro-turf (artificial grass) playground in Mizoram. Every year, the Lammual field hosted a large number of tournaments, including the Mizoram Premier League (a soccer league). Today, Mizoram has two astro-turf hockey playfields, seven astro-turf football grounds and indoor stadiums all over Mizoram. A stateof-the-art track and field stadium known as the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium sits on the edge of Aizawl city. One of the most significant factors for the growth of sporting events and sports infrastructure in Mizoram is the integrative approach adopted by both the state, media and non-state agencies of Mizoram. State agencies align with non-state agencies like the Young Mizo Association (YMA) and media to promote sporting events and to improve sports infrastructures in the hills of Mizoram. At present, most of the indoor sports facilities in Mizoram are managed by the YMA. You will recognize the YMA Hall sign across indoor sports facilities in the state. Till date, there are no issues or disagreements on promoting sports in Mizoram between the political parties. It's interesting to see that there are no points of conflict between political parties, state and non-state agencies in matters of sports in Mizoram. A YMA leader commented in an interview, “Sports is organised in Mizoram by YMA with the belief that hidden sports

talents can be nurtured. Grassroots sport projects like Catch them Young for 5-14 year olds is also implemented by the government of Mizoram in alignment with the YMA in Mizoram”. Since 2009, some Mizo youth have become professional soccer players at Indian soccer league clubs and have represented India at the Asian game. These professional Mizo footballers are acknowledged by the Mizo society for their philanthropy. They donate part of their earnings back to the Mizoram state. The media in Mizoram have been promoting sports regularly. Mizoram commercial TV Channels like Zonet, LPS & Skylink have been telecasting Mizoram state level sports competitions to households in the state. In the past five years, Mizoram state agencies, along with local promoters have been organizing sports competition ranging from boxing, badminton, swimming, ping pong, hockey, soccer, volleyball, chess, billiards and many more for youth in Mizoram. The most recent positive development in this sphere is that the Director, Mizoram state youth affairs and sports is working towards Mizoram Board of School Education (MBSE) to make sport as a compulsory subject for all the schools in Mizoram.

N William Singh teaches Sociology at Pachhunga University College, Aizawl.

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HEALTHY BODIES, HEALTHY MINDS Lalhmachhuana and V Lalsiamthara â&#x20AC;&#x153;Intelligence and skill can only function at the peak of their capacity when the body is healthy and strong.â&#x20AC;? John F. Kennedy In Mizoram, where we wanted to give more importance to physical education in schools, these words perhaps reiterate one of the most important aspects of school education - a healthy body and mind. Physical education is one such area that has been kept on the back burner in most schools in this state. Nevertheless, we realized that it is this physical education that can give students the much-needed edge in terms of knowing their strengths and weaknesses.

In most of the schools in Mizoram, the PE classes were reduced to classes of 'nothingness' due unavailability of a structured curriculum and specialized teachers. The children needed to be engaged in more constructive way. We, along with the Magic Bus India Foundation realized that these PE classes can be made really interesting and beneficial for all the kids, in various ways. With the help of a sports for development module, the PE classes can be made interactive and innovative such that classes not only focus on physical fitness but can also address various social issues through activity based learning.

Magic Bus India Foundation partners with Mizoram State Sport Council (MSSC).in Mizoram.

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A comprehensive classroom session can be taken for students, after the teachers and mentors have been trained to understand various approaches, to be taken into account while training children. This will give them a clear vision on how and why it is important to include PE activities in school. Needless to say, these training programmes will open up a wide gamut of options for teachers, and by extension for the students as well. Various activities during the training session energize the entire 40 minutes of a standard PE class, where physical fitness alongwith sport, is used to address issues that children face in the community, as well. This concept is perhaps one-of-its-kind and provides a beneficial platform to both the students and teachers to harness their intellectual, physical and social credibility. The SSA (Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan) Mission Mizoram â&#x20AC;&#x201C; along with Magic Bus â&#x20AC;&#x201C; also took into consideration the credibility of the curriculum. It is built in line with the topics of NCERT for middle school. Before work started, a rigorous situational assessment process was conducted by Magic Bus in Aizawl to understand social issues, especially with regard to children. Curriculum topics also included issues that surfaced after analyzing responses from children through questionnaire. This helped to streamline the sport for development curriculum with the NCERT curriculum.

We expect a definite improvement in the teacherstudent relationships. And classes are far more structured and engrossing than before. It is a fascinating fact to note that in the recent times, sports has gone much beyond fitness, and has now become a spirited medium to address local issues of children, that will envisage a better, brighter and glorious future for them. The SSA Mission Mizoram understands the role PE and sport for development classes are playing in the school. From the coming academic year, we are committed to take this wonderful PE and sport for development classes to all the Government schools in Mizoram, along with Magic Bus. Mr Lalhmachhuana is the State Project Director and Mr V Lalsiamthara is the Additional State Project Director, SSA Mission Mizoram.

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Sport has historically played an important role in all societies, be it in the form of competitive sport, physical activity or play. But one may wonder: what does sport have to do with the United Nations? In fact, sport presents a natural partnership for the United Nations (UN) system: sport and play are human rights that must be respected and enforced worldwide; sport has been increasingly recognized and used as a low-cost and high-impact tool in humanitarian, development and peace-building efforts, not only by the UN system but also by non-governmental organizations (NGOs), governments, development agencies, sports federations, armed forces and the media. Sport can no longer be considered a luxury within any society but is rather an important investment in the present and future, particularly in developing countries.

Definition of "Sport” In a development context the definition of sport usually includes a broad and inclusive spectrum of activities suitable to people of all ages and abilities, with an emphasis on the positive values of sport. In 2003, the UN Inter-Agency Task Force on Sport for Development and Peace defined sport, for the purposes of development, as “all forms of physical activity that contribute to physical fitness, mental well-being and social interaction, such as play, recreation, organized or competitive sport, and indigenous sports and games.” T his definition has since then been accepted by many proponents of Sport for Development and Peace.

Sport as a fundamental right T he right of access to and participation in sport and play has long been recognised in a number of international conventions. In 1978, UNESCO described sport and physical education as a “fundamental right for all”. But until today, the right to play and sport has too often been ignored or disrespected.

Sport as a Powerful Tool Sport has a unique power to attract, mobilize and inspire. By its very nature, sport is about participation. It is about inclusion and citizenship. It stands for human values such as respect for the opponent, acceptance of binding rules, teamwork and fairness, all of which are principles which are also contained in the Charter of the United Nations.

Sport plays a significant role as a promoter of social integration and economic development in different geographical, cultural and political contexts. Sport is a powerful tool to strengthen social ties and networks, and to promote ideals of peace, fraternity, solidarity, non-violence, tolerance and justice. From a development perspective, the focus is always on mass sport and not elite sport. Sport is used to reach out to those most in need including refugees, child soldiers, victims of conflict and natural catastrophes, the impoverished, persons with disabilities, victims of racism, stigmatization and discrimination, persons living with HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases.

Path to Success Sport is not a cure-all for development problems. As a cultural phenomenon, it is a mirror of society and is just as complex and contradictory. As such, sport can also have negative side effects such as violence, corruption, discrimination, hooliganism, nationalism, doping and fraud. To enable sport to unleash its full positive potential, emphasis must be placed on effective monitoring and guiding of sports activities. T he positive potential of sport does not develop automatically. It requires a professional and socially responsible intervention which is tailored to the respective social and cultural context. Successful Sport for Development and Peace programmes work to realize the right of all members of society to participate in sport and leisure activities. Effective programmes intentionally give priority to development objectives and are carefully designed to be inclusive. Effective Sport for Development and Peace programmes combine sport and play with other non-sport components to enhance their effectiveness. Such programmes embody the best values of sport while upholding the quality and integrity of the sport experience. T hey are delivered in an integrated manner with other local, regional and national development and peace initiatives so that they are mutually reinforcing. Programmes seek to empower participants and communities by engaging them in the design and delivery of activities, building local capacity, adhering to generally accepted principles of transparency and accountability, and pursuing sustainability through collaboration, partnerships and coordinated action. Source: http://www.un.org/wcm/content/site/sport/home/sport

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A Sport for Development Platform

The Maidan Editorial Team is very proud to present the fourth issue of this magazine.

EDITORIAL TEAM PUBLISHER Pratik Kumar, CEO Magic Bus India Foundation Post: A-75, First Floor, Sector 58, Noida, Uttar Pradesh â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 201301, India

DESIGN Anirban Sarkar EDITORS Raghunandan Hegde Ritika Sen

ASSOCIATE EDITORS Garvita Khybri Kusum Mohaptra Rozina Hajiani Setika Singh Subhomoy Bhaduri Sumanya Velamur