The purpose of increasing people's understanding of movement goes beyond making an individual's body stronger, more energetic or happier. One of the ultimate goals is a more equal society.
Those who move more feel better. And those who feel better have more opportunities to influence their lives and thrive in society. Therefore, understanding movement is an important path to equality.
Today, these conditions are unfairly distributed on several levels. Only half as many girls as boys are active enough according to WHO recommendations. Girls' lower activity levels contribute to inequalities in health and well-being between the sexes. The same difference is found between different social strata. Studies show that inequalities persist throughout life, with differences in ill health and life expectancy between groups with different socio-economic circumstances not only persisting but increasing over time.
When we work towards movement literacy for all, we move towards a more equal society where people with different abilities have the same opportunities. Dr. Dean Kriellaars, one of the world's foremost experts on movement understanding, explains how in this video.
