Mar stresses need for more decision makers
About 50 women are part of the three-day International Women’s Group Women and Sport conference Fiji hub at the VMax cinema, Damodar City in Suva.
Over the same three days the 8th IWG women and sports conference is held in Auckland, New Zealand with certain sessions from there live streamed to the Fiji Hub.
Australia’s Chargé d’Affaires, John Williams, joined Oceania National Olympic Committee President, Dr Robin Mitchell, and Fiji Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee Secretary General and Chief Executive Officer, Lorraine Mar, to officially open the Fiji Hub yesterday.
The Australian High Commission and Team Up are organising the event.
“We not able to send all of us to a conference, Lenoa and Cathy Wong with the World Rugby hat are there,” Mar said.
“When they return they will be able to share their experience
with us; there will be a lot more you can be exposed to in the programme.
“Women’s participation in Fiji to me is about raising your hand and putting yourself out there.
“Of course there are some sports which are completely dominated and until we make ourselves heard and show what we can do, it will always be like that.”
“More women are needed at decision making levels in most national federations. FRU has a male dominated board, same as football,” she added.
“We have a Women in Sports Commission and their aim is to encourage more women to come on board. Until we can get women to decision making roles, then it is hard to make a difference.
“It’s difficult to come out of the blue into a position, for me it was a player - badminton and tennis, and then serving the badminton Fiji and Fiji tennis, this what I mean by the pathway through that pathway you gain a lot of experience.”
Williams highlighted the importance of ensuring that women and girls get the opportunity to participate and succeed through sports.
“Through, Team Up and Australia’s elite sports programme, PacificAus Sports, we are providing platforms for women to grow and excel in sport. This conference will provide another important platform where Fijian voices in gender equality and sport can come together to share their experiences and inspire change,” Williams said.
In addition to the live-streamed sessions, the Fiji Hub includes in-person local facilitators to guide engagement and discussions, as well as complementary panel sessions, featuring leaders in sport and sport for development over Fiji.
The conference ends tomorrow.