Assessing the Impact of Sport for Development Programmes on Gender Equality: Challenges and Opportunities

In recent years, the use of sports as a tool to promote positive social change has gained significant traction worldwide. Known as Sport for Development (SFD), this approach harnesses the power of sports to address a wide range of social issues, including inadequate education, health inequity, and gender inequality. SFD programs often tackle multiple issues at the intersection of race, gender, and class. To ensure the effectiveness of these complex and diverse programs, it is crucial to accurately measure their impact. In brief, the assessment of the influence of SFD initiatives plays several vital roles, as follows:

1. Evidence of program effectiveness: Impact measurement provides tangible evidence of the effectiveness of SFD programs in achieving their intended outcomes. Organizations can demonstrate the positive changes brought about by their interventions by collecting and analyzing data on program activities and outcomes.
2. Informed decision-making: Impact measurement is not just a tool but a necessity for organizations to make informed decisions regarding program design, implementation, and resource allocation. By understanding what works and what does not, organizations can optimize their programs for a greater impact, ensuring that every decision is backed by evidence.
3. Attracting donor support: Donors and funders are increasingly demanding evidence of the impact of committing resources to SFD programs. Impact measurements help organizations demonstrate the value and effectiveness of their programs, making them more attractive to potential donors.
4. Ensuring accountability: Impact measurement holds SFD organizations accountable to their stakeholders, including beneficiaries, donors, and the broader community. By transparently reporting their impact, organizations can build trust and credibility.
5. Facilitating learning and improvement: Impact measurement is not just about proving success but also about learning from failure and improving future interventions. By systematically collecting and analyzing data, organizations can iteratively design better programs, leading to continuous improvement.

Impact Measurement in SFD Programmes (SDG 5)

In the context of Sustainable Development Goal 5 (SDG 5) on gender equality and empowerment of women and girls, impact measurement is particularly crucial. SDG 5 is centred on eradicating all forms of discrimination against women and girls and promoting their active engagement in all aspects of life. SFD programmes play a pivotal role in achieving these objectives by not just addressing gender equality, but by empowering girls and women, and providing them with prospects for leadership and involvement in sports. While the potential impact of SFD programs on gender equality is evident, designing goal-oriented programs is crucial to maximize their effectiveness. These SFD programs can be designed to align with several targets under SDG 5. These targets include ending all forms of discrimination against women and girls (SDG 5.1), ensuring women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership (SDG 5.5), and addressing broader discriminatory norms. 

The promotion of gender equality through sports can be strengthened by collecting empirical data that demonstrates progress and clarity, thereby facilitating the replication of successful initiatives in additional locations and regions. For example, UNESCO New Delhi and Pro Sport Development (PSD) examined the SFD landscape in India to understand the scope of programming and how these initiatives can be supported post-COVID-19. Of the 48 participating SFD programs/organizations, 85% of the intended outcomes pertained to gender equality. The study indicated that the primary obstacles were inadequate financing (74%) and the absence of concrete proof of impact (66%). These findings suggest that a standardized and systematic impact evaluation is necessary, as evidence has been demonstrated to be a key factor in attracting donor support. To effectively contribute to SDG 5, SFD programs must not only recognize their potential but also undergo rigorous evaluation to demonstrate their impact and effectiveness.”

Advancement in Impact Measurement through Scholarly Endeavours

The academic study of SFD has led to the development of guidelines and evaluation tools, with a significant approach being Program Theory (also known as Theory of Change). This serves as the foundation for these tools and is crucial in assessing the impact of SFD programs. Program theory provides a logical framework that helps in understanding how an SFD program is expected to achieve its intended outcomes. It guides not only the design and implementation of the program but also its evaluation throughout its lifecycle. Having a clear program theory is essential from the very beginning step of planning as it helps to clarify underlying assumptions, identify potential pathways for change, and establish a basis for monitoring and evaluation. Women Win, a non-governmental organization and women’s fund, developed their own “theory of change” to inform and inspire their global affiliates and grassroots partners in implementing the SFD program, with a focus on advancing women’s and girls’ rights through sports. This approach has been supported by researchers such as Fred Coalter and Cora Burnett, who have emphasized the importance of utilizing case studies to develop and refine best practices. By involving beneficiaries and local implementing teams in the evaluation process, a participatory approach ensures that interventions are need-based and community-driven. Despite these advancements, there is still a notable gap in the field. To date, there is no evidence-based framework explicitly designed to measure the outcomes of sport for gender equality and/or women’s empowerment. This gap highlights the need for further research and development in this area to ensure that SFD programs are effectively contributing to these important societal goals.

The Future of SFD through Impact Investment

Impact investment is another area in SFD that warrants attention. Impact investment involves investing in SFD initiatives with the intention of generating measurable social or environmental impact alongside financial returns. This approach has the potential to significantly enhance the scale and effectiveness of SFD programs by attracting funding from a wider range of investors, including philanthropic organizations, development finance institutions, and private investors. The UNESCO Fit for Life impact investment report provides valuable insights into this area, including trends in impact investment in sport, case studies of successful initiatives, challenges and opportunities in impact investing, and recommendations for stakeholders. The report also underscored the cost of inaction in promoting and investing in sports and how the government can also play a role and benefit from “sport as a health intervention.” Major sports organizations and corporations, such as Nike and the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, have been actively engaged in impact investment in sports, supporting initiatives that empower disadvantaged youth, promote gender equality, and foster social inclusion through sports. Their involvement highlights the growing recognition of the role that sport can play in addressing social challenges and the importance of leveraging private sector resources for maximum impact. In summary, diverse stakeholders have increasingly recognized the value of sports as a means of promoting social development. The challenge now lies in harnessing this potential by developing, financing, and assessing the effects of corresponding initiatives in a structured manner.

Actionable Recommendations

Drawing on past experiences and acknowledging the current momentum, the following recommendations are proposed for enhancing the impact of SFD programs on gender equality:

• Invest in Robust Impact Measurement Frameworks: Develop standardized measures for evaluating the influence of SFD Programmes on gender equality and women’s empowerment. These metrics should be accessible to the community and of vital importance to funders and donors.
• Drive Participatory Action Research in Impact Measurement: Involve all stakeholders in the impact measurement process to ensure their opinions, goals, and feedback are considered in the evaluation. This approach is crucial for understanding Social Return on Investment and addressing the needs of all stakeholders.
• Foster Partnerships and Collaboration: Promote collaboration among SFD organizations, governments, NGOs, and the private sector in order to tackle challenges such as insufficient funding and the absence of evidence of impact. Pooling resources and capabilities can lead to more effective and quicker results.
• Support Capacity Building Initiatives: Equip SFD community-facing organizations or practitioners with fundamental skills in translating inspirations into tangible outcomes. Through their involvement in capacity-building initiatives, organizations are able to develop their abilities in the areas of program design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation.
• Advocate for Awareness on SDG 5: Raise awareness about the importance of SDG 5 in achieving other SDGs. NGOs, governments, and international bodies should highlight the potential of SFD programs to drive positive social change, particularly in gender equality.
• Seek Policy Support: Motivate and empower organizations to use sport as a means of promoting gender equality. This involves advocating for policy support at local, national, and international levels to establish an environment that encourages SFD programs, including policies that promote gender equality, inclusive participation, and equal access to sports opportunities for all.

The long-term impact of SFD programs on achieving SDG 5 is significant and multifaced. Effective impact measurement is essential to ensure the efficacy, accountability, and sustainability of these programs. Impact measurement frameworks provide evidence of program success, guide decision-making, attract donor support, ensure accountability, and facilitate learning and improvement. To optimize the impact of SFD programs on gender equality and women’s empowerment, it is essential to invest in robust impact measurement frameworks, engage in participatory action research, foster partnerships and collaboration, support capacity-building initiatives, advocate for awareness of SDG 5, and seek policy support to further enhance the impact of SFD programs in promoting gender equality.