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Norman Brook

Decolonisation and Localisation in Safe Sport

Updated: Jul 22

Safe Sport International in their strategic plan 2024 -2026 identifies that a “dominant global north narrative distracts from valuing history and culture when establishing safe sport solutions in the global south and global east.”


They further state that “history and culture must be fundamental considerations when establishing safe sport solutions in the global south and global east. Every safeguarding solution should be tailored to meet the specific needs of its local context.”



The global north being North America and Western Europe, perhaps also Japan and Australia – the rich states and large metropolitan centres. The global south being Latin America, Africa and much of Asia. The global east comprising far eastern parts of Asia, Eurasia including regions of Eastern Europe and the Middle East, countries who sit somewhere between the Global North and the Global South.


Most of the organisations leading on safeguarding in sport are based in the Global North and come with a historical legacy of colonialism known as “coloniality”, a set of attitudes, values, ways of knowing, and power structures upheld as normative by former western colonising societies.


So, when seeking to advance safeguarding in sport in the so-called Global South and to some extent in the Global East we need to understand the movement for "decolonisation" and "localisation" that addresses the ways in which safeguarding practices and policies are developed, implemented, and maintained.


Decolonisation in Safeguarding in Sport


Decolonisation refers to the process of critically examining and transforming the structures, practices, and policies that have been influenced or dominated by colonial perspectives. In safeguarding in sport, this involves:


  • Recognizing how colonial legacies privilege Western norms and values over local customs and needs.

  • Ensuring that safeguarding policies are inclusive of diverse cultural contexts and do not impose a one-size-fits-all approach.

  • Elevating and integrating the voices and perspectives of those from previously colonized or marginalized communities in the development and implementation of safeguarding measures.

  • Adapting safeguarding practices to be culturally sensitive and relevant to the communities they are meant to protect.


Localisation in Safeguarding in Sport


Localisation refers to the process of designing and implementing safeguarding measures that are specifically tailored to local contexts. This involves:


  • Actively involving local communities in the creation and implementation of safeguarding policies to ensure they meet local needs and reflect local values.

  • Developing local expertise and resources to manage and enforce safeguarding policies, reducing reliance on external actors.

  • Creating safeguarding strategies that consider local social, cultural, and legal contexts, including local protective systems, ensuring they are relevant and effective in the specific setting.

  • Ensuring that safeguarding measures are sustainable and can be maintained by local communities over the long term.


In considering decolonisation and localisation in the context of safeguarding in sport we need to consider:


  • Developing safeguarding training programs that are culturally appropriate and are delivered in local communities by local trainers.

  • Developing safeguarding training and resources in local languages.

  • Crafting policies that are co-created with local stakeholders, ensuring they address specific local risks and conditions.

  • Allocating resources to build local capacities for safeguarding rather than relying on external experts.

  • Implementing local monitoring and evaluation systems that are contextually relevant and can effectively measure the impact of safeguarding initiatives.


By considering safeguarding in sport through the lens of decolonisation and localisation, Western organisations who hold much of the knowledge, resources and power in this space can more effectively support the development of safe, inclusive and positive sport across the so-called Global South and Global East nations.

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