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The 8th IWG World Conference on Women & Sport being held in Aotearoa New Zealand 14th -17th November 2022 expects to join the Rugby World Cup in setting new records for women’s sport. Confirmed participation has surged to over 1,100, as sport and recreation leaders from more than 300 organisations in almost 60 countries prepare to meet in Aotearoa New Zealand for the world’s largest gathering to advance gender equity and equality in sport and physical activity.

IWG NZ Secretary General, Rachel Froggatt notes “just over 1,200 participants attended the last gathering four years ago in Gaborone, Botswana – making IWG 2018 the largest to date. To already have well over 1,100 coming to IWG 2022 means we are on track to surpass that record, and it’s fast on its way to becoming the biggest sports conference to ever be staged in Aotearoa New Zealand.

“Our ambition is to reach 1,200 in person on the ground and up to 500 online. With six weeks left to register, we could not be more thrilled to be where we are now – especially because we are still providing hundreds of people with registration, travel and visa support. This growth, especially in the wake of COVID-19, says everything it needs to about momentum in women’s sport the world over.”

Additional analysis of registrations reveals some interesting additional insights about participants to date: 79% are new to IWG, with 21% having attended previously in Botswana, Finland, Australia, Japan, Canada, Namibia or the UK; 74% of participants have chosen a hybrid pass, giving them access to both the in person and virtual events; and 62% of all participants are under the age of 46.

IWG 2022 is being designed and staged by Women in Sport Aotearoa, Ngā Wāhine Hākinakina o Aotearoa (WISPA), on behalf of the international Working Group (IWG) on Women & Sport. It will take place at Te Pokapū – the Aotea Centre in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland and Online, from Monday 14th to Thursday 17th November 2022. The event neatly dovetails into the end of the women’s Rugby World Cup and comes on the heels of the 2023 FIFA Women’s Football World Cup Official Draw. These three events will turn Aotearoa New Zealand into the epicentre of women’s sport globally in October and November. Both World Rugby and FIFA are already registered for IWG 2022.

Staged as a hybrid for the first time, over 220 sessions and almost 500 speakers are scheduled for IWG 2022. It has been built on social learning principles inspired by storytelling and collaboration inherent to the indigenous Māori culture of Aotearoa New Zealand, meaning that over 90% of all content, both in person and online, has been designed to be fully interactive. Participants will explore five global themes through seven lenses and agree practical solutions to be applied in their own home contexts. Programming has been generated by a 150+ strong team of global experts.

The core programme features some of the world’s most influential sport and physical activity organisations, plus advocacy groups, governments, business, media and academia – including the International Olympic Committee (IOC), FIFA and the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup team; Women’s Sport Foundation (founded by Billie Jean King); the Commonwealth Games Federation, and the UNESCO Global Observatory for Gender Equality in Sport. Visit the “Programme” page to explore the content and create your ‘favourites’ list.

Group Packages are now on sale now alongside individual registrations, with a call to action to ‘Register your Delegation’. Confirmed delegations include the IOC, World Rugby, Oceania Hockey, and the Japan Sports Council.

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