Rugby Helping Curb Violence Against Women
Sixty coaches from Fiji and Samoa will be part of the Get into Rugby (GIR)- Plus programme.
This is a new initiative that uses rugby to prevent violence against women, girls and to promote gender equality supported by Oceania Rugby, Rugby Australia and the Pacific Partnership to End Violence Against Women and Girls,
The funding is provided by the European Union, Australian Government and UN Women.
The programme is currently undergoing product development and a pilot is being worked on in Fiji for the next 12 months.
Oceania Rugby general manager Bruce Cook said GIR Plus programme is based on World Rugby highly international mass participation programme which has been delivered around the world.
“The GIR programme has over 1000 participants in Oceania last year. In the past 12 months Oceania Rugby has been working closely with its partners to develop a new sport for development programme that will an impact on ending violence against women,” Cook said.
“It will focus on getting highly trained coaches who not have are tactically sound and at the same time provide a safe, equal and inclusive environment.”
Cook said this partnership will be not only being done in rugby but different sports across the Pacific.
Australian High Commissioner to Fiji, John Feakes said they were proud to partner in this initiative and encouraging participation of girls in rugby.
“As a father of a rugby playing daughter I strongly praise the various parties in this elite sport played by elite players.
“Sports is a universal language that all Pacific Islands and I hope we continue to see the participation of women and girls in rugby,” Feakes said.
European Union (EU) delegation for the Pacific head of cooperation, Christoph Wagner said being new to rugby it is clear that rugby is a special sport in the Pacific and it creates norm which can address issues of gender equality and stereotypes.
UN Women Fiji Multi-Country Office (MCO) representative, Nicolas Burniat said to address the epidemic of violence, it is important to live no stones unturned.
“For us that means we need to work with all the important sector of societies and sports is a key component,” Burniat said.
Edited by Osea Bola
Feedback: karalaini.tavi@fijisun.com.fj
