SP 11: Para Sport Against Stigma
Para Sport Against Stigma - led by Loughborough University (LUL) - builds on lessons learned from London 2012. The programme uses a four-pillar approach towards overcoming the role of stigma in the adoption of AT, consisting of education, athlete development, Paralympic broadcast and action research activities. Partners include: LUL, International Paralympic Committee (IPC), Ministry of Education Malawi, Zambia Athletics, Ghana Athletics Association, Athletics Association of Malawi, Zambia Ministry of Sport, African Union Sports Council Region 5, TVMS, TV5 Monde, World Para Athletics, Orthopaedic Training Centre (OTC) Ghana.
Rusmiyati, Paralympic Athlete. Credit - Angus Stewart
Discrimination, stigma and AT adoption
The aim of the programme is to tackle discrimination and stigma in order to increase Assistive Technology (AT) adoption in Malawi, Zambia and Ghana through a four-pillar approach (education, athlete development, Paralympic broadcast and cross-cutting research activity).
Stigma against disabled people is one of the barriers to the adoption, development and delivery of better AT in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). Stigma around disability leads to exclusion and poor standards of living for disabled people, and as a consequence, creates a barrier to better AT adoption.
Paralympic values and the importance of sport
A lack of education about disability and the needs of disabled people creates fear and exclusion. Building on the rapid learning from AT2030, the programme will tackle stigma and discrimination, across Africa through education around the Paralympic Values and Paralympic sport to increase AT adoption.
Programme Objectives
Pillar 1: Research
- Pillar 1 is cross-cutting and will provide action research insights for pillars 2, 3 and 4 to improve practice in education, athlete development and Paralympic broadcasting to overcome stigma and improve AT adoption for disabled people
- Education: Improve the impact of I’mPOSSIBLE through learnings from in-depth research and small-scale community-based communication experiments addressing stigma and AT adoption.
- Athlete Development: Enhance National Paralympic Committees (NPC) capacity through athlete development guidebook co-created with NPCs in Zambia, Uganda and Malawi
- Paralympic Broadcast: Contribute to ‘undesigning stigma’ through qualitative research on Japan 2021 broadcasting
Pillar 2: Education
- Increase understanding of Paralympic values to diminish stigma and promote inclusion (reducing the barriers to AT adoption)
Conduct the I’mPOSSIBLE programme in schools across Malawi, Zambia and Uganda
Pillar 3: Athlete Development
- Increase capacity of NPCs using a cascading model to train new Paralympic coaches in order to increase the number of Para athletes across the target nations
- Capture the stories of these Para-athlete role models to reframe disability positively and impact stigma to improve access to AT
Pillar 4: Paralympic Broadcasting
- Raise awareness of para-sports to reduce stigma and promote AT adoption through broadcasting the Paralympics in up to 42 countries in Africa.
Latest
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Uniting Nations: Breaking Stigma Through Para Sports and Assistive Technology in Malawi
Harrison Kamau, Diane BellDec. 19, 2023MalawiThe Malawi Paralympic Committee (MPC) has successfully implemented the I'mPOSSIBLE education package to support inclusive education, including physical education, in almost 200 schools. Additionally, it helps identify potential for the upcoming generation of para-athletes from Malawi. During our visit, we participated in a Knowledge Exchange Forum between teachers involved in the implementation of the I’mPOSSIBLE (localised) toolkit held at the Bingu National Stadium. We also visited the new training facility of the MPC, experienced inclusive sports activities at Lilongwe LEA Primary School, and participated in a workshop with I’mPOSSIBLE teachers to capture impactful stories of success emanating from the implementation of the programme.
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Shifting Stigma - Stories from Malawi’s first-ever Para Games
Kritika NaiduDec. 1, 2023MalawiIn Malawi, the landscape of sports is evolving, creating avenues for inclusivity, empowerment, and redefining the narrative for young people with disabilities. Nelia Majawa from the Chilinde Township in Lilongwe, arrives at the Bingu National Stadium to support and encourage around 30 young people with disabilities to play sport and interact with each other at the first Malawian Para Sport Games (27 July 2023). Her daughter is one of them. Her 13-year-old is a weightlifting enthusiast, and her mother beams with pride and joy when stating that she lifted 25 kgs on the day.
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Evidence brief on engaging communities in Para sport in Malawi
Loughborough UniversityOct. 17, 2023MalawiResearch SummariesThis research summary provides key highlights and snapshot content from a major research study on the potential of Para sport for addressing stigma, and provides a set of recommendations.
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Research Report on the Tokyo 2020 Broadcasting in Sub-Saharan Africa March 2022
Global Disability Innovation Hub, Loughborough University, The International Paralympic Committee (IPC), University of MalawiJuly 19, 2023MalawiResearch SummariesThis research summary provides key highlights and snapshot content from the journal paper, The AT 2030 Para Sport Against Stigma project aimed to examine how disability stigma can be overcome through Para sport so to increase assistive technology (AT) adoption in Africa.
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Evidence brief on engaging communities in Para sport in Malawi
Loughborough UniversityJune 30, 2023MalawiCase Studies and ReportsStigma and discrimination are among the most pressing challenges facing persons with disabilities and their families in Malawi. It leads to social exclusion from many areas such as education, employment, and sport. Addressing stigma and other barriers to inclusion must be part of an inter-Ministerial approach to implementing disability policy in Malawi. This report shares findings from a major research study on the potential of Para sport for addressing stigma, and provides a set of recommendations.
