February 2025, Vatican City – The World Leaders’ Summit on the Rights of the Child took place on February 2-3, 2025, presided over by His Holiness Pope Francis. During the summit, International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach addressed world leaders, urging collective action to ensure that children everywhere can enjoy their right to safe sport.
A Global Mission to Protect Children
The World Leaders’ Summit on Children’s Rights’ mission was to explore new methods of supporting and protecting millions of children who still lack fundamental rights, live in precarious conditions, and suffer the devastating consequences of war. Emphasizing that sport is not just a physical activity but a transformative force for education, inclusion, and peace, Bach issued a global call to guarantee safe and inclusive access to sport for all, regardless of their background:
“Today, we are reminded of our collective responsibility: to build a better world for our children, we have to act faster, aim higher, be stronger, and we have to join hands”
Bach stated during the panel discussion on The Child’s Right to Free Time and Leisure.
A Shared Responsibility for Safeguarding Young Athletes
Ensuring the safety of young athletes requires concrete action and collaboration across the international sports community. United Through Sports (UTS) has long prioritised and been at the forefront of this effort, working alongside leading organizations such as Mission 89, Right to Play, and UNESCO to strengthen awareness, education, and the implementation of safeguarding measures for youth in sport.
UTS has notably partnered with Mission 89, a Geneva-based not-for-profit organization dedicated to eradicating child trafficking in sports through research, education, and advocacy. Other long-standing partnerships towards this effort include with Right to Play and UNESCO with shared commitment to sport-based learning and policy development, ensuring young athletes are protected and sport remains a safe environment for all.
Taking Action on the Global Stage
UTS has been involved with several UN/Unesco events most recently in September 2023, UTS CEO Julia Govinden was invited to the United Nations Headquarters in New York to participate in a high-level event during the 78th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA78). As part of a panel discussion on Technological Solutions to Tackling Exploitation and Human Trafficking in Sport, she joined global experts, including Lerina Bright, Founder and Executive Director of Mission 89, to drive forward solutions and reinforce collaborative efforts aimed at protecting youth from human trafficking through sport.
The session, held on the sidelines of UNGA78, was a pivotal moment for addressing emerging threats and strengthening international safeguarding frameworks.
A Commitment to Safe and Inclusive Sport
The responsibility of ensuring sport remains a safe and inclusive space falls on all stakeholders. UTS remains committed to this mission, working through collaboration, education, and policy-driven action to safeguard all youth, regardless of their background, sport, or origins.
Source: This news was published originally on www.insidethegames.biz and on the International Olympic Committee website
