A pōwhiri is a cultural ceremony led by first peoples/mana whenua of Aotearoa, New Zealand. This will be a unique experience for all participants, including waiata (singing) and whaikōrero (formal speech). There will also be an opportunity to connect with our global participants through a process known by Māori as whakawhanaunga.

Hon Grant Robertson's talk is proudly supported by Sport New Zealand 

Why is thinking about athlete wellbeing so important? Casey will explore this through her experiences as a teenage Olympian and the societal challenges she faced as a high-performance athlete.

Is safe sport a part of your gender equality approach? Research worldwide has demonstrated some alarming figures on the sexual and psychological abuse of elite athletes. HRH Prince Feisal will examine these findings with an Olympic lens and provide insights that can support your safe sport planning.

HRH Prince Feisal's talk is proudly supported by 

Why is inclusion important? Sarah will describe the current state of play in women's football globally and offer practical insights to grow your understanding of inclusion and help transform your approach to this, no matter your role.

Sarai's talk is proudly supported by

What's contributing to the negative coverage of women's sport? Anthony has witnessed the effects of this landscape for nearly 30 years. Through his work on multiple Olympic campaigns and a range of other sports (Swimming, Volleyball), Anthony will present some of the most important examples of the last 40 years that have positively and negatively impacted the exposure of women's sport in the media.

Raelene will share what's working for her and how the core pillars of 'focus' have reduced the short-term disruption change brings and helped her go the distance.

Raelene is proudly supported by Sport New Zealand Ihi Aotearoa

Panellists will explore the current state of play regarding abuse in female sport and the need for safeguarding, the different approaches being used to safeguard participants in sport globally; and the current challenges in implementing such strategies.

This session is proudly presented by

Panellists will explore the latest statistics and strategies used to address discrimination in sport based on gender, race, disability, ethnicity, sexual orientation, etc.

Jaynathi Kuru-Utumpala – speaker is supported by Asia New Zealand

What does it mean to be a male ally for women in sport and physical activity? Panellists will discuss the challenges, the moments that surprised them and the things driving them to be a champion of women in sport.

How do we go beyond including athletes' voices to correcting the power of balance? Panellists will respond with their experiences and provide ideas and strategies that can help ensure athletes are empowered and their feedback/voices are heard.

Women’s sport is enjoying its moment – it is experiencing increased airtime and exposure as well as filling the airwaves. However, there is still a lot of work to do – even just from an equity standpoint.

Do we make it hard for fans of women’s sport to become true fans? How are the decisions being made, and who are the organizations or, more specifically, the people making these decisions? And how do these decisions impact revenue opportunities? Panellists will tackle these questions and how the sport ecosystem can overcome the inequities women's sport faces in media.

This session is proudly presented by 

Explore varying perspectives on the inclusion of transgender athletes, athletes with Disorder of Sex Development (DSD) and non-binary athletes in community and elite sports.

This panel will explore diverse and sometimes disparate views on these topics. Whilst the opinions of some panellists may not match the inclusionary position IWG itself holds, we believe these discussions need to take place to ensure fair and equitable solutions for all. We therefore ask that all panellists and participants are treated with respect and consideration with a view to creating a collegial, respectful, inclusive, and professional environment at IWG 2022, both in person and virtually.

Chris Mosier – speaker is supported by Embassy of USA

What effect does climate change have on women and girls participating in sport and physical activity? Panellists will explore this topic and address the extent to which society’s norms and behaviour are relevant, and the role sport can play in changing them.

This session is proudly presented by 

Women coaches are under-represented around the globe, all sports, all levels from grassroots to high performance; women face numerous barriers that differ by culture and identity. Panellists will discuss what it takes to create a sport system where women coaches can flourish.

This session is proudly presented by Athlete Assessments

Afzan Mahadi - speaker is proudly supported by Asia New Zealand Foundation 

The constant pressure to perform and the impact this has on female athletes has highlighted a series of issues and challenges for many sports. This panel will discuss the unique challenges women are facing and explore how sports are (or not) responding and what this means for the future of women in sport.

Learn more about the opportunities and proactive measures developing in communities (indigenous, youth, religion) globally to ensure the female voice is visible in all areas of sport, from commentating to coaching to the board room. Whatever the space, how women are represented and visible and the impact of this in society and the sport ecosystem is the central talking point of this panel discussion.

This session is proudly presented by EightyOneX

These culturally inclusive elements have helped to increase fan engagement, better on-field performances and overall team culture for one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s women’s representative rugby team. The process and insights will provide participants with a toolkit that enables them to create and model their own approach for including indigenous practices to a team or organisation.

Session Title: Wāhine whakamana women of influence putting the mana back in Manawatū

Participants will learn how to apply Sport England's experience, including collaborating alongside sector partners to improve their nations' relationship with sport and physical activity during the global pandemic. You will learn how to create targeted campaigns, programmes and policies that support women and girls safely participating in physical activity.

Session Title: Keeping the Nation Active - Using Insight to Navigate the COVID-19 Pandemic

Understand how Victoria University and Women in Sport and Recreation built a successful research collaboration and made an immediate impact that redefined funding and grants, policies and regulations for girls’ sports uniforms.

Session Title: What Girls Need in Sport Uniforms to Make Them Feel Comfortable to Play Sport

Participants will be prompted to identify steps they can take in their own countries to increase the numbers and improve women's experiences in leadership positions within the Olympic and Paralympic movements.

The unrelenting intense nature of the current elite sport environment during COVID-19 may predispose athletes, coaches, and support staff to increased susceptibility to psycho-socio physiological fatigue burden, and negatively affect health, well-being, and performance.

The workshop will deliver a toolkit that supports participants in communicating about transgender inclusion respectfully, prioritising inclusion and safety for all athletes, and the power of coalition building for effective advocacy.

Session Title: Sport for All: The importance of inclusion for Transgender Girls and Women

Since the 1991 publication by Lave and Wenger, social learning theory and its most well-known concept, communities of practice (CoPs), have gained recognition for being able to support learning and change. 

A CoP, as a social learning space, involves individuals engaged in a learning partnership. In this space, members work on making a difference in their practice. Wenger and colleagues continue to combine theory and practice as the theory of social learning evolves. 

The workshop will cover insights from the NCAA Women Coaches Academy (WCA) in USA and Japan and provide participants with practical examples they can immediately action.

Session Title: The Value of and "How To" of Women Only Coach Education: Learnings from the USA & Japan

Review and gain insights from the African Football case study that enabled a team of researchers to access FIFA's network of African players to generate scientific evidence that would inform clinical practice or policy.

Session Title: Out of sight, out of mind, the invisibility of marginalised female athletes in sports and exercise medicine research: Implications for clinical practice and policy

Up to 80% of teens experience dating violence, and girls and young women are disproportionately affected. Develop a toolkit and collaborate with other coaches worldwide to support the development of young people, both as sports participants and as members of society.

Session Title: Helping coaches address teen-dating violence experience by Sports Participants

Identify and discuss the various ways you can enable the enjoyment of physical activity for women and girls while sparking new ideas, partnerships and opportunities with other participants.

Session Title: Sports diplomacy: Advancing gender equality, inclusion and diversity for girls and women with disabilities globally

Participants will discuss ways to create a safe and inclusive environment around menstrual health while building a toolkit of educational resources.

Session Title: Menstruation in Motion - Understanding menstrual health in sport and physical activity

Participants will learn to apply these insights to help increase participation and slow dropout rates among girls and women from disadvantaged communities to increase enjoyment and participation.

Session Title: Just Move - Enhancing Girls' and Women's Participation and Retention in Sport by Increasing Their Enjoyment of Movement

Investigate ways to support the transition from player to referee and the tools required to encourage high achievement and equal opportunities. This workshop is aimed at improving female Volleyball referee development and recruitment.

Session Title: Building an infrastructure: Enabling women and girl referees to thrive

Learn how Netball Australia leads programs that provide critical life skills that create connections and give women a safe environment to develop leadership and other essential skills in partnership with Pacific partners. Through addressing gender equity issues, domestic violence, water security, hygiene and sanitation challenges. 

Session Title: Netball as a development tool in the Pacific

Based on research and insights from player associations/athlete federations and athletes, create a toolkit that will aid you and your organisation in contract negotiations and the execution of maternity policies.

Session Title: A mothers work - the impact of maternity rights for elite athletes