Commonwealth: Impact Report on the Global Sport and Sustainable Development Goals
SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being | SDG 4: Quality Education | SDG 5: Gender Equality | SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth | SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities | SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports | NITI Aayog | Ministry of Health and Family Welfare | Ministry of Education
Commonwealth Secretariat report, The Global Sport and Sustainable Development Goals Baseline and Initial Impact Report mentions that sport is a highly effective, yet underutilized, tool for advancing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This baseline report analyzes how Sport for Development and Peace (SDP) initiatives are being integrated into national planning to drive social and economic progress. The report utilizes a standardized framework of 60 indicators to establish the first global performance baseline across seven development domains.
Global Trends in Sport for Development and Peace (SDP) The report identifies critical shifts in how physical activity is leveraged for broader societal goals:
The Rise of SDP: There has been a fivefold increase in the adoption of Sport for Development and Peace initiatives over the last decade, though only 31.98% of national sport policies intentionally align with specific SDG targets.
The Inactivity Crisis: Globally, 82.8% of adolescents and 31.3% of adults are insufficiently active, with a pronounced 9% gender gap showing higher inactivity among women and girls.
Education Gaps: Only 52.5% of primary schools meet the recommended 120 minutes of Physical Education (PE) per week, which often serves as the foundational entry point for SDP programming.
Economic Value: The report highlights that failing to address physical inactivity leads to a global economic burden of approximately $27 billion per year in healthcare costs.
What is “Sport for Development and Peace” (SDP) in the context of the 2030 Agenda? Sport for Development and Peace (SDP) is the intentional use of sport and physical activity as a tool to achieve specific development objectives, such as social cohesion, health promotion, and conflict resolution, rather than focusing solely on athletic performance. The report defines sport in this context as any physical activity involving social interaction and governed by rules or customs. By prioritizing a “sport for all” ethos, SDP programs aim to empower marginalized groups, including persons with disabilities and refugees, by building life skills and community resilience.
Policy Relevance
The report provides a strategic framework for India’s transition toward data-driven sports governance and social inclusion. By institutionalizing the SDP framework, India can move beyond recreational sports to treat physical activity as a core pillar of public health and human capital development.
Strategic Impact:
Combating Adolescent Inactivity: Addressing the 82.8% adolescent inactivity rate is vital for India’s “demographic dividend”; integrating SDP targets into the National Health Policy can mitigate future NCD-related economic losses.
Mainstreaming Quality PE: To fulfill the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, India must address the specialist teacher gap—where only 44.7% of primary schools globally have PE experts—to ensure sport drives student retention.
Gender-Inclusive Participation: Targeted SDP programs are required to close the 9% gender activity gap, ensuring that women and girls have equitable access to the leadership and confidence-building benefits of sport.
Sustainable Infrastructure: Utilizing the report’s “Tiny Forests” and green-space models, India can design Smart Cities that treat accessible sports facilities as essential social infrastructure for community cohesion.
Follow the full report here: The Global Sport and SDGs Baseline Report | Commonwealth Secretariat