The Kick Project

Our new newsletter, Children's Rights in Focus , is now live! To read Issue #1, click on the image below.

Pic credit: simonstacpoole.wordpress.com We've been thinking a lot about the Sustainable Development Goals which were launched in late September. As an organisation that seeks to address issues of poverty, inequality and social development, we are both impressed by the scope of the SDGs and a little frustrated that they are needed at all. However, we are supportive of the initiative and we believe they will engender positive change. In fact, as readers of this blog will know, we are of the opinion that sport has, or should have, a powerful influence on meeting the 17 intended outcomes of the SDGs. The Kick Project's founder, James Rose, wrote a comment piece for Online Opinion, which we hope will make a contribution to the examination of the relationship between sport and the SDGs. You can read the full article here .

The realisation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), to follow the Millennium Development Goals, is one of those poster moments in global geo-politics. It seems the planet has finally come together to foster a beautiful world of lightness and love, safety and security. Of course, the reality is nothing like that. The world will likely go on its muddled and confused way, throwing up undeserving winners even as it it throws down innocent losers. That's not being cynical. It's just an acceptance of the human condition. Sure, humanity can be wonderful. But it can also be brutal. Those truths are unlikely to change. But, let's look on the up side. The balance can be shifted in favour of the more positive aspects and this is the value of documents such as the SDGs. That's where we come in. For us here at The Kick Project, the SDGs present a real opportunity to further ensure sport is in the tool box of solutions to poverty, conflict and community breakdown. ...

Pic from Syria from frankborstart.com The UN has released some figures on its peace-keeping efforts worldwide. While the organisation does what it can, it is clear that it - the pre-eminent peace-keeping organisation in the world - is far from making even a scratch on the surface of global conflict.  These figures confirm our reasons for being. There are 16 current conflicts the UN is working in around the world. The oldest is on the India-Pakistan border (in place since 1949), the newest in the central African republic (2014). Since 1948, there have been 71 UN peace-keeping operations and so, today, just under 23% of all the peace-keeping operations voted as necessary by the UN in 67 years are on-going. The UN says there are 125,396 peace-keepers in the UN's employ (so-called Blue Helmets). The budget for peace-keeping in 2014/15 is $US8.5 billion. It sounds a lot, but consider the following. The total armed personnel in just the top 20 militarised countri...

Great insight into the latest African Cup of Nations champions - The Ivory Coast - and the work being done to heal tensions and to divert conflict there and elsewhere through the power and focus of football. The Kick Project is supportive of these efforts and is actively seeking to work with local groups to develop global/local initiatives. We would be keen to hear from local groups worldwide looking to partner up. Maybe we can build a super team for peace-building and reconciliation..... Article from Insight on Conflict here

South Sudanese refugees in Uganda line up. Pic: Dorah Ntunga/Oxfam Some peace initiatives using football have been promoting the cause of peace in East Africa. Both programs, one UN-backed, the other run through Oxfam, speak to the power of the game to generate co-operation through play and fun, always the easiest route for humans to find solutions.... The UN project in Somalia aimed to commemorate World Peace Day later this month. The key message is this, I think, from Somali Football Federation President Abdiqani Said Arab who reportedly "sent a strong message to the UN requesting the world body to pay much attention to football which has so far been used as an element of peace building and yielded positive results." Clunky translation maybe, but you get the point. Not sure however what research Mr Arab may be alluding to as there does not appear to be a lot. Anecdotal evidence is fairly plentiful though and this may be what he was noting. This program in Ug...