Rwanda’s Minister of State Opens Workshop for Africa’s National Human Rights Institutions
03 Sep 2019
Author - Evode Uwizeyimana, Minister of State for Constitutional and Legal Affairs
On 3rd September 2019, Rwanda's Minister of State in the Ministry of Justice, Evode Uwizeyimana, opened a first of its kind workshop on sport and human rights for the National Human Rights Institutions (NHRI) of Africa.
Convened by the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission and Commonwealth Forum of NHRI's at the General Assembly of the Commonwealth Games Federation in Kigali, Minister Uwizeyimana started by reflecting:
"Ladies and Gentlemen,
Sport and human rights are interlinked concepts. Participation including taking part in sport is a human right. It is an entitlement for each and every human being. Every person regardless of age, gender, disability, religious belief, social background, political opinion, race, ethnicity or nationality has the right to meaningfully participate in sport.
The first principle of the ten Sporting Chance Principles on Sport and Human Rights developed by the Centre for Sport and Human Rights represented here today makes it clear that sport can help promote human rights and sustainable development, and foster cooperation, solidarity, fairness, social inclusion, education and health at the local, regional and international levels.
The principles go further to remind each and every one of us that, the governance and delivery of sport should at all times be based on international human rights instruments, principles and standards. Furthermore, the principles call upon actors in sport to commit to the protection and respect of internationally recognized human rights through their activities and business relationships."
