Strategic relationship announced for World Rugby and International Working Group on Women & Sport

August 29, 2022

World Rugby and the International Working Group (IWG) on Women & Sport have announced a strategic relationship through to 2026 through which they are calling on global sports leaders to get behind the gender equality in sport movement.

The two organisations have pledged to work together over the next four years, starting this November, to raise awareness of the need for positive change and action right across the sports system through collaboration on a series of shared initiatives.

Rugby World Cup 2021 in New Zealand, taking place from 8th October-12th November, is set to champion the advancement of women in sport. Dovetailing into this, the 8th IWG World Conference on Women & Sport will take place from 14th-17th November, with hundreds of global sports leaders gathering in Auckland and online to work together to design and launch real practical solutions.

The collaboration, which supports the objectives of World Rugby’s Women in Rugby Plan 2017-25, will create an impactful alliance by connecting the next two women’s Rugby World Cups in Aotearoa New Zealand and 2025 in England with the next two IWG World Conferences on Women & Sport in 2022 and 2026 in the UK.

World Rugby Director of Women’s Rugby Sally Horrox notes "World Rugby is actively working to reset the dial for women and girls in rugby across the globe, across every rugby region. Guided by an impactful plan, we are creating a global movement - everyone is welcome, and everyone will have their part to play.

"As part of our commitment, we are delighted to be entering a strategic relationship with the International Working Group on Women & Sport, who are the standard bearer for the advancement of women in sport. With that in mind, we are supporting our Executive Leadership Scholars and other female leaders across our unions to stay in New Zealand after Rugby World Cup this year to access the world’s best strategic thinking and practical solutions at the IWG World Conference."

The IWG is the world’s largest network dedicated to advancing gender equity and equality in sport, physical education and physical activity. 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. The IWG developed and remains guardian of the Brighton plus Helsinki 2014 Declaration, which now has the commitment of nearly 600 signatories worldwide. Every four years it stages the IWG World Conference on Women & Sport. In late 2021, it launched the IWG Insight Hub - an interactive collection of research, case studies and toolkits to help advance change.

Rugby World Cup will kick-off on 8th October at Eden Park in the heart of T āmaki Makaurau, Auckland, with 12 of the best women’s rugby teams in the world scheduled to put on an epic show through until the final on 12th November. The 8th IWG World Conference on Women & Sport then kicks off the following day with a VIP event, with the conference underway from 14th-17th November.

The strategic relationship will kick-off with the current IWG Aotearoa New Zealand Secretariat 2018-22, Women in Sport Aotearoa, Ngā Wāhine Hākinakina o Aotearoa and will include:

A commitment by World Rugby to send up to 50 female leaders to the 8th IWG World Conference on Women & Sport, and a further commitment by New Zealand Rugby to send a local delegation of 20
A call to action to other global sports leaders to do the same, by combining attendance at the Rugby World Cup 2021 final on 12th November with the 8th IWG World Conference, 14th-17th November
Both organisations to collaborate on guest speakers and panellists for Women in Rugby events being hosted during Rugby World Cup 2021 and at the 8th IWG World Conference on Women & Sport
World Rugby to host the IWG Global Executives at the Rugby World Cup 2021 final on 12th November
A commitment to work with the incoming IWG Secretariat in the United Kingdom as it develops its plans to promote gender equity and equality in sport over the next four years leading up to the IWG World Conference being hosted in Birmingham in 2026.

IWG Aotearoa New Zealand Secretary General Rachel Froggatt enthused "we are thrilled to be staging the ultimate ‘double header’ for women’s sport in Aotearoa New Zealand this year, by connecting Rugby World Cup - a fantastic showcase for female athletes, coaches and administrators - with the IWG World Conference, the world’s largest gathering to advance positive change within the system.

"World Rugby is a long-time signatory to the Brighton plus Helsinki Declaration, and it’s fantastic to be strengthening this relationship and assisting them on their journey toward gender equality in rugby. We’re confident this will lead to a similar strengthening of relationships our other signatories, including the International Federations preparing to join us in Aotearoa New Zealand in November."

Claire Beard, Head of Women's Rugby at New Zealand Rugby is also excited to have both Rugby World Cup 2021 and the IWG World Conference here in Aotearoa and commented “what a time for women’s rugby. We, as an organisation, are pleased to provide our team with the opportunity to attend the IWG Conference, and support the growth of women and girls rugby both domestically and globally."

In late 2022, the strategic relationship will transition to the United Kingdom team, hosted by the Sport and Recreation Alliance, as incoming host for the IWG Secretariat and World Conference 2022-2026 ahead of Rugby World Cup 2025 in England.

IWG United Kingdom Secretary General Lisa O’Keefe adds "I am delighted that IWG Women & Sport and World Rugby will be working closely together over the next four years. 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."

Early bird for the 8th IWG World Conference on Women & Sport closes 31st August, 2022. Group and Delegation Packages are available now, with a call to action to ‘Register your Delegation’. Confirmed delegations include World Rugby, the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Oceania Hockey, the Japan Sports Council, and many more:

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