Global Policy Discourse on Inclusion and Equity in Sport and Physical Education

This dataset accompanies a study analyzing how global policy documents from the United Nations (UN), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), World Health Organization (WHO), and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) (2004–2025) construct discourses of inclusion and equity in physical education (PE), physical activity, and sport. The study employs qualitative content analysis and Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) to examine eleven key documents, identifying thematic patterns and their ideological underpinnings. The dataset includes coded information related to lexical choices, framing, representation of social actors, intertextuality, legitimization, presuppositions, and omissions within these policy documents. Findings reveal institutional differences in framing PE and sport (human right vs. development/public health tool) and variations in the recognition of diverse target groups. This data highlights the tensions between rights-based, instrumental, and health-focused framings and their implications for achieving equitable and transformative outcomes in PE and sport policy.