HIBAPRESS – Rabat
Amina Bouayach, the President of the National Human Rights Council, affirmed that the relationship between sports and human rights has witnessed a remarkable development in recent years, following the integration of human rights standards within international sports policies, and with the increasing association of sports with social justice issues within societies.
Bouayach explained, in a statement on the sidelines of the international conference organized in Salé about "Sport as a lever for the advancement of human rights," that the High Commissioner for Human Rights has gradually begun to develop international guidelines that frame this intersection between sports and human rights, given the growing role of sports in societal impact. She added that the National Human Rights Council considers the sports field a "fertile ground" for monitoring economic, social, and cultural transformations, pointing to the emergence of sports initiatives with a social dimension, and to the increasing involvement of women and children in sports spaces, which makes this field a fundamental entry point for strengthening human rights gains. Bouayach revealed that the Council invested its assessment of the human rights situation within the file of Morocco's bid to host the 2030 World Cup, in order to present recommendations that included development rights, citizen participation, protection of vulnerable groups, and governance principles in managing sports facilities. She stressed that such international meetings represent an important opportunity for national human rights institutions to refine their vision regarding the relationship between sports and human rights approaches, and to anticipate structural reforms capable of ensuring the sustainability of the impact of sports in promoting rights and freedoms.
