When delivered well, sports participation is one of society's best tools for addressing a range of larger challenges – from obesity prevention to cancer risk reduction, gender equity to the social inclusion of people with disabilities, racial bias to the restoration of civic trust across communities.

Recognizing the human rights of children is key to closing gaps in the availability and quality of sport programs.

Developed by the Aspen Institute through its Project Play initiative, with a working group of human rights and sports policy experts, the Children's Bill of Rights in Sports identifies eight rights:

1. To play sports.
   Organizations should make every effort to accommodate children’s interests to participate, and to help them play with peers from diverse backgrounds.
2. To safe and healthy environments.
   Children have the right to play in settings free from all forms of abuse (physical, emotional, sexual), hazing, violence, and neglect.
3. To qualified program leaders.
   Children have the right to play under the care of coaches and other adults who pass background checks and are trained in key competencies.
4. To developmentally appropriate play.
   Children have a right to play at a level commensurate with their physical, mental and emotional maturity, and their emerging athletic ability. They should be treated as young people first, athletes second.
5. To share in the planning and delivery of their activities.
   Children have the right to share their viewpoints with coaches and for their insights to be incorporated into activities.
6. To an equal opportunity for personal growth.
   Programs should invest equally in all child athletes, free of discrimination based on any personal or family characteristic.
7. To be treated with dignity.
   Children have the right to participate in environments that promote the values of sportsmanship, of respect for opponents, officials, and the game.
8. To enjoy themselves.
   Children have the right to participate in activities they consider fun, and which foster the development of friendships and social bonds.

We encourage leaders – from program operators to policymakers – to treat these rights as guardrails in the design of all sport activities involving youth. Now is the time to establish such minimum conditions. In the United States, as elsewhere in the world, the COVID-19 pandemic has sidelined millions of children, compromising their physical and mental health. Please see below for ways that that our resource can be used by stakeholders, and how you can support the call to action.

How Can I Use the Bill of Rights?

• Community and School Sports Programs: Review your policies and practices with children’s rights as a filter. Educate youth about their rights and communicate to them and parents/caregivers what your program is doing to align. Realize the potential benefits, from enhanced program quality to a reputation as an organization that cares about the human development of every child. See Program Resources for an editable template that can help.
• National Sport Organizations: Review your policies and practices with children’s rights as a filter. Develop tools and incentives for affiliated programs to embrace the rights.
• Grantmakers and Sponsors: Fund organizations that can demonstrate adherence to the rights.
• Parents/Caregivers: Ask sport providers about their policies and practices. Also, give your children a voice in the design of their sports activity by asking what they want.
• Adult Athletes: Use your platform to advocate for these rights. See below Social Media Toolkit.
• Youth: Know your rights. Share what matters to you with the adults shaping your sport activities.
• Policymakers: Develop policies and unlock funds that can help programs align with the rights.