Based on a 20-session programme, participants take part in rugby activities that integrate lessons and discussions on gender equality, while incorporating rugby’s values of respect, integrity, solidarity, discipline, and passion. On the field, participants are given an opportunity to learn tag rugby in a safe, non-contact playing environment.
After attending Get into Rugby PLUS programming in Fiji, the number of female players who “strongly disagreed” that harassment was sometimes a girl’s fault jumped from 44 per cent to 70 per cent. In Samoa, 92.2 percent of boys moved away from believing males are better leaders than females, with 70 percent of male and female players no longer agreeing with stereotypical statements about how girls and boys should act.
“The programme is designed to focus on achieving gender equality and addressing violence against women and girls. The coaches undergo intense gender sensitization, safeguarding, and child protection training, in addition to the World Rugby courses,” said Tihrani Uluinakauvadra, Oceania Rugby’s Participation and Pathways Manager, who has worked with Get into Rugby PLUS since its inception. Oceania Rugby is one of six regional associations of World Rugby, the sport’s governing body.
“We all know behavioural change doesn’t happen overnight, so we provide continuous support to the coaches, who also support each other,” Uluinakauvadra said.
“It was not until I came into the programme that I started to learn that the root cause of violence against women and girls is gender inequality,” he added. “Many men dictate everything to their wives and daughters because of traditional and cultural ideals – that is why women and girls are not enjoying life.”
“Learning this changed my life and the way I look at things. My daughter represented Fiji in rugby at the age of 16 and my two other girls are also keen rugby players,” Uluinakauvadra said.
Since its inception in 2018, the programme has had significant impact on both players and coaches in Fiji and Samoa. The programme’s goals are also aligned with the Fiji Government’s National Action Plan to Prevent Violence Against All Women and Girls (2023-2028), which includes sport as one of the settings to promote gender equality and social norms that prevent violence against women and girls.
Get into Rugby PLUS has aligned to the strategies developed by World Rugby to increase the number of women in rugby. Those strategies, which have also been implemented by the local Fiji Rugby Union, include requiring any provincial team that plays in national competitions to also have a women’s team, and for any rugby sevens tournament in Fiji to also include women’s teams.
Source link : https://www.miragenews.com/olympic-rugby-medal-boosts-pacific-gender-1284240/
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Publish date : 2024-07-26 15:14:00
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