UN‑Habitat calls for Brazilian cities to expand public sport spaces

The UN‑Habitat campaign “More leisure and sport areas, a Brazil that always wins” urges Brazilian society to improve access to quality public sport spaces – parks, squares, bike lanes, courts and other communal areas. It stresses that well‑planned urban recreation contributes to health, safety and social inclusion, aligning with Sustainable Development Goal 11 (sustainable cities) and supporting goals on health (SDG 3) and reduced inequality (SDG 10).

UNICEF frames safe, inclusive sport as a fundamental right for children and adolescents, while the UN Office on Drugs and Crime cites structured sport programmes as effective tools for lowering youth crime and substance use. A Laureus study estimates a €5 social‑economic return for each €1 invested in sport‑based crime‑prevention projects. The campaign calls on citizens, private firms and foundations to occupy, protect and fund public sport facilities, promote active mobility and participate in community‑driven activities to strengthen neighbourhood cohesion and human development.