Welcome to our Country Collection!
From 2012 until 2025 BMZ and GIZ implemented S4D projects and programmes in countries all over the world, always in close cooperation with different local partner organisations. In every country, significant S4D knowledge and content has been developed, in different languages, with different sport ant topical foci. We are happy to share that valuable S4D knowledge with you!
COUNTRY OVERVIEW
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Afghanistan -
Albania -
Bosnia and Herzegovina -
Brazil -
Colombia -
Costa Rica -
Côte d’Ivoire -
Ecuador -
El Salvador -
Ethiopia -
Guatemala -
Indonesia -
Iraq -
Jordan -
Kenya -
Kosovo -
Mexico -
Montenegro -
Mozambique -
Namibia -
North Macedonia -
Pakistan -
Paraguay -
Senegal -
Serbia -
South Africa -
Sri Lanka -
Togo -
Tunisia -
Turkey -
Uganda -
Zanzibar
Iraq remains a fragile state in an unstable region, affected by the Syrian crisis and the advance of the so-called ‘Islamic State’ since 2014. The conflicts have led to a high number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees, increasing the population of the autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) by almost 40% since 2014. Dohuk Governorate alone accommodates over half a million displaced persons and refugees in 27 camps. A large-scale return of IDPs and refugees is unlikely in the foreseeable future. Even after the official defeat of the so-called Islamic State, host communities in KRI remain overwhelmed by the provision of basic public services. There is also a pressing need for psychosocial support, education, and leisure activities to reduce tensions and support social cohesion.
In 2016, German Development Cooperation launched the regional programme Exchange, Education and Conflict Transformation through Sport for Development – Jordan and Northern Iraq in Amman, Jordan. The first activities in Iraq followed two years later. In Northern Iraq, the programme addressed key challenges arising in both IDP camps and host communities. Limited capacities in these areas led to a lack of structured sport activities and psychosocial support, particularly for children and youth.
To respond to this, GIZ trained female and male coaches, teachers, and social workers to use sport as a tool for promoting values and strengthening social competences. Sport activities provided a safe space for interaction, supported gender equality, and allowed children and youth to engage with peers from diverse backgrounds. Through sport, participants were encouraged to develop essential personal skills such as respect, empathy, and self-confidence.
With sustainability and long-term impact in focus, GIZ closely cooperated with local and international NGOs operating in Child Friendly Spaces within camps, as well as in schools and Youth Centres. In partnership with the Jordanian Ministry of Education, the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB), and the University of Dohuk, the programme developed a training curriculum designed to promote both physical and psychosocial well-being through sport.
We invite you to have a look at the following teaching and learning materials, which were created by the German Development Cooperation (GIZ) on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and our partner organizations in Iraq.
If you want to have more detailed and/or further information about S4D in the country, please have a look at the following publications.