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Two common values that seem to guide sport programs implementations are particularly interesting to dwell upon, Human Rights and Democracy.
The 1993 world conference of human rights concluded that democracy; development and respect of human rights are interdependent, and might mutually reinforce and strengthen peace building processes.
Priorities should therefore be given to this work.
Building of democratic principles is lengthy, multifaceted and complex. It includes processes that build civil society, and getting in place self-governing mechanisms based on agreed upon and culturally accepted regulations. Democracy is also hard to measure as it might incite dissimilar understandings in different cultures.
Sport can, by establishing self governing clubs, leagues and structures based on the above criteria, actively participate in the democratization process by strengthen civil society and thus become one of the building blocks for a more stabile and peaceful state.
Some of the challenges aforementioned in regards to democracy also go for human rights.
Though the Universal Declarations for Human Rights are signed by most of UNs member states violations are common, and the question of the validity of the declarations sometimes challenged. Both Democracy and Human Rights are therefore at times viewed as a western ideal; therefore, the imposition of such rights on non-western nations seen as a form of cultural imperialism.
This might challenge sport projects that actively promote HR through its activities in certain parts of the world. As we adapt these values and principles into our programs or sport activities it is necessary for us to reflect on what this means in practical terms.
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