SPORT AS A TOOL FOR DEVELOPMENT IN GEORGIA

Facts: Over 54% of the pop. lives below the poverty line; Secessionist regions: Abkhazia and South Ossetia (Shida Kartli); Rose Revolution in Nov 2003 bringing a lot of hope… but situation remains volatile;

UNICEFSport as a Tool for Development in Georgia AT THE BEGINNING UNICEF Georgia started to actively use sport for development purposes in 2001

UNICEFSport as a Tool for Development in Georgia FOOTBALL FOR ENHANCING HEALTHY LIFESTYLE launching partnership programme Children & Youth Football Championship on the Presidents Cup in Georgia

UNICEFSport as a Tool for Development in Georgia WHY FOOTBALL Most popular sport in Georgia Very useful tool to: attract public interest mobilize partners build alliances

UNICEFSport as a Tool for Development in Georgia FOOTBALL FOR ENHANCING HEALTHY LIFESTYLE Championship - annual event Engaging more children & youth in sport activities and Promoting Healthy Lifestyle & preventing risky behaviour (alcohol, drugs) among children & youth

UNICEFSport as a Tool for Development in Georgia FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP School-based national wide tournaments > children from 2,000 schools, age Strong social mobilization tool for healthy lifestyle - involving different partners: local governments, business leaders, children

UNICEFSport as a Tool for Development in Georgia FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP Involving girls for first time…. Held under aegis of World AIDS Day Campaign – UN Theme Group Raising awareness on HIV/AIDS among youth

UNICEFSport as a Tool for Development in Georgia FOOTBALL FOR ENHANCING HEALTHY LIFESTYLE Special teams of HIV/AIDS advocates & popular singers attending & delivering IEC sessions on HIV for players & fans WAD 2003 Theme – Stigma & Discrimination

UNICEFSport as a Tool for Development in Georgia FOOTBALL FOR ENHANCING HEALTH LIFESTYLE young people, including girls participated & received knowledge on HIV Yet, lessons learned: too ambitious - focusing project scope to specific regions & make tangible changes in supply & rehabilitation of sport playgrounds

UNICEFSport as a Tool for Development in Georgia FOOTBALL TO REACH THE MOST DISADVANTAGED 2004: Football Championship organized jointly by UNICEF & NGO SOCO headed by the First Lady Chiatura - one of the poorest regions of west Georgia; No employment and no income (i.e. shoes)

UNICEFSport as a Tool for Development in Georgia FOOTBALL TO REACH THE MOST DISADVANTAGED Aim - provide disadvantaged children opportunity to play football as a part of their right to play- an opportunity they wouldnt have had otherwise (providing equal opportunities). Link with MDGs: Poverty. Extraordinary opportunity for advocacy & communication on life-skills & health promotion

UNICEFSport as a Tool for Development in Georgia FOOTBALL TO REACH THE MOST DISADVANTAGED ~ 500 children from 25 schools in Chiatura involved – UNICEF provided football uniforms, shoes, balls & other sports equipment for football Major sport playgrounds in Chiatura equipped with football nets, flags, etc.

UNICEFSport as a Tool for Development in Georgia FOOTBALL TO REACH THE MOST DISADVANTAGED The First Lady invited the 2 winner teams to a weekend excursion to recreational place in Southern Georgia UNICEF awarded winner teams - school-in-a box & football kits. Sport supplies - chess, badminton gifted to all 25 participant schools

UNICEFSport as a Tool for Development in Georgia

UNICEFSport as a Tool for Development in Georgia SPORT AS A SCHOOL FOR LIFE Additional funds mobilized to expand initiative to five regions in Dutch NatCom Creating child-friendly environment & promoting healthy lifestyle in 50 schools of 5 regions of Georgia - rehabilitation of sport playgrounds, basic sport supplies, IEC for children & youth

UNICEFSport as a Tool for Development in Georgia WHAT IS NEXT (1) Incorporation of sport programming in our strategic planning: mainstreaming of sports activities in country programmes. UNICEFs experience was instrumental in advocating for inclusion of Sports in the UNDAF

UNICEFSport as a Tool for Development in Georgia WHAT IS NEXT (2) In-house capacity building in sports programming Enhancing partnerships; Developing M&E framework & Indicators for evaluating sports programming

From the horses mouth Before I knew little about AIDS, I have never been a winner. Through playing football I learned a lot about this disease and about myself. Now I know that I can really change things. I scored a goal and brought a victory to my team. I am so happy. 15-year-old George, participant of Georgia 2003 football school tournament

UNICEFSport as a Tool for Development in Georgia Is there a better outcome?

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