Strengthening Safeguarding in Sport in Support of Fiji’s National Action Plan

With a strong belief that safeguarding is integral to creating safer and more inclusive sporting environments in Fiji, Team Up delivered five safeguarding pilot training sessions for 11 sport organisations, contributing to the implementation of Fiji’s National Action Plan (NAP) to Prevent Violence Against All Women and Girls (PVAWG). The training was delivered at the invitation of Fiji NAP PVAWG Secretariat.

Team Up, the Australian Government’s sport for development program in the Pacific, worked with representatives from athletics, aquatics, badminton, volleyball, squash, netball, paddling, skateboarding, sailing, handball and weightlifting, who volunteered to participate in the pilot training on the national safeguarding policy template. The sessions were tailored to participants’ existing safeguarding knowledge and organisational needs, using sport-specific examples and practical discussions to support the adoption of safeguarding policies and procedures.

The Fiji NAP PVAWG is a whole-of-community and whole-of-population national initiative, supported by the Australian Government, which works with civil society and NGOs plus all ministries across the Fiji Government including the Ministry of Youth and Sport (MYS) and the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Protection (MWCSP), which houses the NAP Implementation and Coordination Unit. 

Fiji NAP PVAWG National Coordinator Laisani Petersen said safeguarding has an important role to play in creating safer and more inclusive sporting environments.

"The National Action Plan’s Sport settings support the sports sector to make sport safe and inclusive for women and men, girls and boys in all their diversity. Strengthening safeguarding in sport is an important part of preventing violence against women and girls and ensuring everyone can participate safely. We particularly acknowledge and thank Team Up and the Fiji Program Support Platform for their direct support, including their work to develop and deliver safeguarding training and support to more than 10 sports this month," said Laisani Petersen.

The Fiji National Sports Commission, Fiji Sports Council, Fiji Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee and Fiji Paralympic Committee have also partnered with the Fiji NAP PVAWG Secretariat to support the implementation of the National Action Plan within the sport setting.  

The training was delivered by Team Up’s Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) and Safeguarding Advisor, Roshika Deo who said the training is essential for the future of safe sport in Fiji and builds on Team Up’s broader gender equality and safeguarding work across the Pacific. 

“Supporting the implementation of the Fiji National Action Plan to Prevent Violence Against All Women and Girls reflects Team Up’s broader commitment to safe and inclusive sport, and prevention of violence across the Pacific. This is also part of the work we undertake and support through the Oceania Impact Network,” said Roshika Deo.

“To strengthen safeguarding systems, it is important to be able to understand how violence against women and girls manifest within a sport context and how a safeguarding policy works to prevent and respond to harm in sport. A key takeaway was the high demand by sport organisations for further capacity support to enhance their safeguarding practices but also to reach out to greater number of people in their sport.” 

Beyond the training, Team Up has also contributed to the development and review of the national safeguarding policy and procedures through the sharing of Team Up safeguarding resources and providing guidance on sport-specific considerations, safeguarding approaches and the content of the pilot training sessions.

Background

Oceania Impact Network

Oceania Impact Network is a collective of committed stakeholders who share a common vision of promoting gender equality, inclusion, and safety in and through sports in the Pacific. It is made up of the Australian Government’s sport for development program Team Up; UN Women Fiji Multi Country Office; the Oceania National Olympic Committees (ONOC), through its Equity Commission and the International Olympic Committee. 

Team Up

Team Up is the Australian Government’s sport for development program in the Asia-Pacific. With more than 70 partners across seven Pacific Island countries, our programs are specifically designed to provide all people, regardless of gender or ability, the opportunity to realise their full potential through sport.
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