Navigating Dynamics and Dilemmas in Southern African Sport for Development Collaborations: Analyses of Global North Perspectives on Safe Sport Policy Development with a Framing and Postcolonial Lens

This article examines safe sport policy development within transnational sport for development and peace (SDP) collaborations in Southern Africa, focusing on perspectives from Global North partners currently engaged in projects in Zambia and other Southern African countries. Drawing on cultural framing theory and postcolonial theory, the study explores how safeguarding initiatives emerge, evolve, and interact with local contexts in programs aimed at addressing interpersonal violence in sport. Informed by qualitative interviews with five Global North sport stakeholders, findings reveal that safeguarding policies were primarily shaped by Northern research and organisational mandates, raising concerns about epistemic dominance and cultural resonance. While policies addressing issues such as harassment, abuse, and gender equality were introduced, their implementation faced challenges linked to socio-economic constraints, local norms, and legal frameworks, particularly regarding LGBTQIA + protections. The analysis highlights persistent power asymmetries rooted in funding structures and global governance, alongside efforts to mitigate these through long-term partnerships and local empowerment strategies. The study underscores the need for context-sensitive approaches and locally driven research to enhance safeguarding effectiveness in SDP collaborations.