FIFA Publishes Human Rights Policy

FIFA, the international governing body of association football, futsal, and beach soccer, has published its first Human Rights Policy. According to FIFA, the document embodies Article 3 of the FIFA Statutes, which states “FIFA is committed to respecting all internationally recognised human rights and shall strive to promote the protection of these rights”.

FIFA’s Human Rights Policy was developed by the FIFA administration in collaboration with FIFA’s Governance Committee and “specifies and strengthens FIFA’s human rights commitment and will serve as guidance for FIFA’s human rights work”.

The document was reviewed by FIFA’s Human Rights Advisory Board and a range of external stakeholders, including international organisations, trade unions, civil society organisations, academia and FIFA sponsors.

FIFA has also published an Activity Update Report detailing its progress on human rights. The report focuses on FIFA’s activities in the year proceeding its statutory human rights commitment of April 2016.

Key Provisions of FIFA's Human Rights Policy include: 

• It is signed by FIFA President Gianni Infantino and FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura
   
• section 1: Commits FIFA to "respecting human rights in accordance with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights" and outlines its commitment to embedding the policy internally and implementing the ongoing due diligence and remedy processes outlined in the Guiding Principles.
   
• section 5: Provides examples of FIFA's salient human rights risks, covering: labour rights; land acquisition and housing rights; discrimination; security; players' rights
   
• section 7: Outlines FIFA's commitment to follow international human rights standards in the face of conflicting national legal requirements  
   
• Outlines "FIFA's Approach to Human Rights" consisting of four pillars: i) Commit and embed ii) Identify and address iii) Protect and remedy iv) Engage and communicate