Led by Dr Eleanor Drywood, the research aims to address the following objectives:
- Developing a Children's Rights Framework for Sport – Exploring which rights are involved, what fulfilling these rights looks like in practice, and whether there is a legal foundation for children's rights obligations in football.
- Identifying Duty Bearers in Football - Assessing who holds responsibility for upholding children's rights—whether clubs, governing bodies, agents, or even parents.
- Spotlighting Best Practices in the Industry - Highlighting positive examples, the research demonstrates how children's rights can be safeguarded within football.
Watch an introduction
This research is part of an ongoing partnership with UNICEF, which has resulted in two key outcomes:
- Report on children's rights in football recruitment practices
- Guide for professional football clubs on how to protect and realise children's rights.
- Read the report: Children before players - Protecting and realising children's rights: A guide for professional football clubs.
Findings were gathered through consultations with football clubs across all six global football confederations. The research also engaged with stakeholders from football clubs and governing bodies which offered actionable recommendations to enhance protections at all levels of the game.
This research is also supported by a series of academic publications that examine the legal and sociological basis for children’s rights within the football industry. These insights are paving the way for a more responsible and rights-focused approach to children’s involvement in football worldwide.
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