Sport for development with 'at risk' girls in St. Lucia

While sport for development programming has flourished, the complex social and economic environment in the postcolonial Eastern Caribbean is often overlooked by researchers. This case study examines sport for development with ‘at risk’ adolescent girls in St. Lucia (n = 16). These young women, who have been removed from mainstream public schools due to behavioural issues, participated in focus group discussions regarding their experiences and perspectives on sport. Their sport participation included single-sex, organised programming at the Upton Gardens Girls Centre and mixed-sex, unsupervised football play. Results of the study indicate that these sporting activities contributed towards the capability development of the participants,  with limitations toward challenging gender stereotypes and encouraging kinetically focused body image. While the female-only sport participation encouraged a positive sense of self-efficacy and fostered peer/mentor relationships, engagement in co-educational football supported girls’ empowerment and the challenging of gender stereotypes. However, outcome towards progressive perspectives on sport and body image gleaned mixed results. As a whole, these results point to larger concerns within the sport for development field and the need for more in-depth and comprehensive critical research to better understand how sport impacts development initiatives

Sport for development and body image for girls

First paragraph: Sport participation is often thought to provide positive benefits on education attainment, gender equality, self-efficacy and health in developed and developing societies (Levermore and Beacom, 2009). The United Nations Office of Sport for Development and Peace (UNOSDP) recognizes that sport participation can have dramatic effects on young peoples’ lives and support development initiatives. Sport also has the capacity to reduce gender-based stereotyping and discrimination by challenging gender expectations and empowering females to independence and success (Darnell, 2011; Saavedra, 2009; Brady, 2005; Meir, 2005; Hartmann-Tews and Pfister, 2003). In sum, sport often serves as a “social good” or tool for social and economic development

Nike, Colin Kaepernick and the pitfalls of ‘woke’ corporate branding

First paragraph: Nike reignited a culture war recently by revealing Colin Kaepernick as their spokesperson for the 30th anniversary “Just Do It” campaign. The sportswear brand’s announcement came via a new advert in which young African Americans, Muslim women, physically impaired athletes and white skateboarders all encourage the viewer to follow their dreams, no matter how crazy.https://theconversation.com/nike-colin-kaepernick-and-the-pitfalls-of-woke-corporate-branding-10292

Celtic FC leads way in tackling period poverty, now other clubs need to follow

First paragraph: Scotland’s top football club, Celtic FC, will become the first in the UK to provide free menstrual products in its stadium this autumn. The move raises awareness of the global issue of period poverty and should prompt other clubs to follow Celtic’s lead. Period poverty – being unable to afford menstrual products – is a worldwide problem and has become a major focus of campaigns in numerous countries. It affects one in ten women aged 14 to 21 in Britain and nearly one in five in Scotland.https://theconversation.com/celtic-fc-leads-way-in-tackling-period-poverty-now-other-clubs-need-to-follow-9674

Levelling the playing field: Human capability approach and lived realities for sport and gender in the West Indies

Understanding the role of gender in sport for development and peace (SDP) has sparked new and critical research recently, aligning with the focus on gender equality in the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Researchers tend to explore gender in terms of how girls and women access and experience sport. The academic literature often describes sport participation for girls as a form of empowerment, but fails to critically examine the masculinised, heteronormative framework of sport and rarely includes the voices of girls and boys together. This unique study is the first to apply the human capability approach (HCA) to explicitly investigate gender role attitudes from the perspective of boy and girl participants in SDP. We believe it is vital to include voices of all participants to more critically examine how SDP might both challenge and reinforce restrictive gender norms.  This paper is drawn from a research project for a doctoral thesis in Development Studies and focuses on adolescent participants, youth coaching trainees, programme facilitators and government administrators involved in SDP programmes in Barbados and St. Lucia (n=104).2 The primary author conducted surveys, focus group discussions, interviews and journaling to gather the data presented here and in the thesis. Using the HCA as a theoretical framework, we argue that these SDP programmes tend to integrate participants into masculinised, heteronormative forms of sport that may unwittingly reinforce restrictive gender norms for both boys and girls. In order to better support the capability development of all participants, SDP leaders must actively challenge restrictive gender role attitudes of masculinity and femininity

Development, Gender and Sport: Theorizing a Feminist Practice of the Capabilities Approach in Sport for Development

Sport for development (SFD) research and practice has become more critically examined recently, with many scholars calling for better understanding of how and why sport might contribute to the global development movement. Developing and refining theoretical approaches is key to unpacking the complexities of SFD. Yet, theory development in SFD is still relatively young and often relies on oversimplified theory of change models. In this article, the authors propose a new theoretical approach, drawing upon the capabilities approach and critical feminist perspectives. The authors contend that the capabilities approach is effective in challenging neoliberal ideologies and examining a range of factors that influence people’s lived experiences. They have woven a “gender lens” across the capabilities approach framework, as feminist perspectives are often overlooked, subjugated, or misunderstood. The authors also provide an adaptable diagrammatic model to support researchers and practitioners in applying this framework in the SFD context

Levelling the Playing Field: Human Capability Approach and Lived Realities for Sport and Gender in the West Indies

This article applies the human capability approach (HCA) to explicitly investigate gender role attitudes from the perspective of boy and girl participants in sport for development and peace (SDP)

Ending period poverty: Scotland’s plan for free menstrual products shatters taboos and leads a global movement

First paragraph: In the UK, the average woman will spend about £4,800 on period products in her lifetime. For households on low incomes, this kind of expense is a heavy burden. In August 2018, Scotland made history as the country leading a global movement to end period poverty. The government pledged to invest £5.2m to provide free menstrual products in schools, colleges and universities across the country. Period supplies will be available in toilets, just as paper and soap are already provided. The scheme’s objective is to ensure that all students have access to the pads, tampons and products they need, regardless of financial means.https://theconversation.com/ending-period-poverty-scotlands-plan-for-free-menstrual-products-shatters-taboos-and-leads-a-global-movement-10313