Share:
September 2, 2022
The International Working Group (IWG) on Women and Sport and World Rugby are calling on global sports leaders to get behind the gender equality in sport movement. The call to action is part of the duo’s new four-year strategic partnership to raise awareness of the need for positive change and action through a series of shared initiatives.
The partnership will “create an impactful alliance” by connecting the 2021 and 2025 women’s Rugby World Cup in New Zealand and England with the 2022 and 2026 IWG World Conference on Women and Sport also in New Zealand and England. World Rugby will send up to 50 female leaders to the 8th IWG World Conference on Women and Sport (November 14-17, 2022), with New Zealand Rugby confirming a further local delegation of 20. They will join hundreds of global sports leaders to work together to design and launch real practice solutions on gender equality in sport.
The collaboration supports the objectives of World Rugby’s Women in Rugby Plan 2017-25, which seeks to increase women’s rugby development and the overall visibility of women’s sports globally. “World Rugby is actively working to reset the dial for women and girls in rugby across the globe, across every rugby region,” said Sally Horrox, World Rugby Director of Women’s Rugby.
Described as the “standard bearer for the advancement of women in sport,” IWG is the world’s largest network dedicated to advancing gender equity and equality in sport, physical education and physical activity. Last year, it launched the IWG Insight Hub – an interactive collection of research, case studies and toolkits to help advance change. Established in 1994, the IWG Secretariat moves nations every four years, with the new host supporting the network, continuing global advocacy work and running its own initiatives.
“This partnership provides a great opportunity to not only share knowledge and learning but also demonstrate the power and impact of such collaborations to grow the opportunities for women and girls to take part and excel in sport,” said Lisa O’Keefe, IWG United Kingdom Secretary General.
The Rugby World Cup kicks off October 8 at Eden Park in the heart of Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland with 12 of the best women’s rugby teams in the world. It ends November 12, after which the 8th IWG World Conference on Women and Sport begins.
Both organizations will also collaborate on guest speakers and panelists for Women in Rugby events being hosted during Rugby World Cup 2021 and at the conference. In addition, the current IWG Aotearoa New Zealand Secretariat 2018-22, Women in Sport Aotearoa and Ngā Wāhine Hākinakina o Aotearoa will work with the incoming IWG Secretariat in the UK as it develops its plans to promote gender equity and equality in sport over the next four years leading up to the 2026 IWG World Conference in Birmingham.
World Rugby is a long-time signatory to IWG’s Brighton plus Helsinki Declaration, which seeks to achieve gender equity in sport and physical activity. This new venture is a strengthening of this relationship in assisting them on their journey toward gender equality in rugby shared Rachel Froggatt, IWG Aotearoa New Zealand Secretary General and a speaker at Beyond the Games in July.
Share:
