EMSONI Sign up to Declaration on Sport and Human Rights

Ethnic Minority Sports Organisation Northern Ireland (EMSONI), the leading and multi-award-winning sport development organisation for the ethnic minority community in Northern Ireland, have signed up to the Declaration on Sport and Human Rights.

The document, which was drafted by Commonwealth Games Northern Ireland and the NI Human Rights Commission, has now been signed by 20 members of the Northern Ireland Sport and Human Rights Forum which includes the Irish Football Association Foundation, Ulster GAA, Ulster Rugby and the Belfast Giants.

The Declaration acknowledges sports' potential to advance the human rights of everyone and sets out several commitments to ensuring that sport is used to advance the protection of all who are impacted by sport.

Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission Chief Executive, Dr David Russell, stated:

“We are delighted to see EMSONI, an ethnic minority-led multisport organisation, sign up to the Declaration to respect and protect human rights. This Declaration recognises the responsibility of sportspeople to challenge abuses and support an ethos of dignity and respect, tolerance, understanding, equality and fairness within sport.

The sport and human rights movement has been gaining momentum both internationally and locally. We have had record numbers attend our Northern Ireland Sport and Human Rights Forum in recent months. We hope more sporting organisations will follow EMSONI’s example and sign up to the Declaration in the near future.”

EMSONI representative Funmi Abayomi said:

“Signing up to the Declaration on Sport and Human Rights is one of our many expressions of our commitment to ensuring that refugees, asylum seekers and newcomers are given the opportunity to participate in sports unhindered and with dignity. We are strategically positioned to not only promote inclusion, diversity and integration but also amplify the rights of sport persons within our community so that we can strengthen a shared society through sport.”

ENDS

To sign up for updates or to attend the next NI Sport and Human Rights Forum, please email info@nihrc.org.

Find out more about EMSONI: https://www.emsoni.org/