1. SPORT AS A TOOL FOR DEVELOPMENT IN GEORGIA

2. 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;

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

4. UNICEFSport as a Tool for Development in Georgia FOOTBALL FOR ENHANCING HEALTHY LIFESTYLE 2001-2003 launching partnership programme Children & Youth Football Championship on the Presidents Cup in Georgia

5. 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

6. 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

7. UNICEFSport as a Tool for Development in Georgia FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP School-based national wide tournaments > 45 000 children from 2,000 schools, age 12-15 Strong social mobilization tool for healthy lifestyle - involving different partners: local governments, business leaders, children

8. UNICEFSport as a Tool for Development in Georgia FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP - 2003 Involving girls for first time…. Held under aegis of World AIDS Day Campaign – UN Theme Group Raising awareness on HIV/AIDS among youth

9. 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

10. UNICEFSport as a Tool for Development in Georgia FOOTBALL FOR ENHANCING HEALTH LIFESTYLE 45 000 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

11. 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)

12. 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

13. 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.

15. 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

16. UNICEFSport as a Tool for Development in Georgia

17. UNICEFSport as a Tool for Development in Georgia SPORT AS A SCHOOL FOR LIFE Additional funds mobilized to expand initiative to five regions in 2005 - 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

18. 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

19. 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

20. 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

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

22. THANK YOU