The IWG Global Executive of the International Working Group (IWG) on Women & Sport gathered by video on Wednesday 30 June 2021 (NZT) for the IWG Annual General Meeting 2021.
The AGM is the third one led by the IWG New Zealand Secretariat agency, Women in Sport Aotearoa, since New Zealand took over as host nation for the IWG Secretariat & Conference 2018 – 2022 in October 2018. It is the second one staged by video, following ongoing travel disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Attendees dialled in across multiple time-zones, from New Zealand, to Botswana, Venezuela, Canada, the USA, Japan, the UK and Switzerland.
The IWG Global Executive was also delighted to be joined by Louisette Renée Thobi Etame-Ndedi, the Incoming General Secretary of The Conference of Ministers of Youth and Sports of La Francophonie (CONFEJES). She dialled in from Cameroon.
The meeting opened with a minute of silence to remember Ms Matilda Mwaba, formerly Africa Representative on the IWG Global Executive. Ms Mwaba sadly passed away in January 2021, after many years of service and support for IWG.
Following the AGM, the IWG Global Executive is pleased to announce two changes to its membership:
- The nomination of Ms. Game Mothibi by Women’s Sport Africa Network (WSAN) was ratified. Ms. Mothibi will move from her current position of Co-Opted Member, to the position of Africa Representative for the next four years. This position has been vacant since January 2021, following the sad loss of Ms. Matilda Mwaba. Ms Mothibi was formerly Secretary General of the IWG Secretariat & Conference 2014 – 2018 in Botswana and has many years of experience in the global gender equality in sport movement. Her new role will see her represent the pan-Africa voice. Find out about Ms. Game Mothibi.
- Sallie Barker will join as the Europe Representative, following the ratification of her nomination from the European Non-Governmental Sports Organisation(ENGSO). Ms Barker is returning to the IWG fold, having been in attendance at the first ever IWG World Conference in Brighton in 1994 and been part of the drafting of the ground-breaking Brighton Declaration and its update 20 years later, to become the Brighton plus Helsinki 2014 Declaration. Ms Barker will represent the pan-European voice.
The AGM also ratified the recommendation made by the IWG Bid Evaluation Committee as to the hosting of the IWG Secretariat & World Conference 2022-2026 quadrennial, which will follow on from the New Zealand Secretariat. The successful bidder will be notified shortly and more details will be announced in coming weeks.
IWG New Zealand also presented its most up-to-date planning for the IWG World Conference 2022, and gave an update on other key programmes including the new IWG Insight Hub, the development of the IWG Progress Report and new signatories to the Brighton plus Helsinki 2014 Declaration on Women & Sport. This was followed by individual updates from each member of the IWG Global Executive.
Attendees present at the meeting included:
- Raewyn Lovett, IWG Co-Chair – New Zealand
- Rachel Froggatt, IWG Secretary General
- Rosa López de D’Amico, International Association of Physical Education for Girls & Women (IAPESGW) Representative
- Diane Huffman, WomenSport International (WSI) Representative
- Karen Morrison, Americas Representative
- Etsuko Ogasawara, Asia Representative
- Lilamani de Soysa, Co-Opted Expert
- Game Mothibi, Co-Opted Expert and Incoming Africa Representative
- Fiona Allan, Co-Opted Expert
- Sallie Barker, Incoming Europe Representative
- Louisette Renée Thobi Etame-Ndedi – Incoming Secretary General Secretary of The Conference of Ministers of Youth and Sports of La Francophonie (CONFEJES)
- Nicky van den Bos, Women in Sport Aotearoa (WISPA)
- Peta Forrest, Women in Sport Aotearoa (WISPA)
Apologies were received from Co-Chair Ruth Maphorisa, Oceania Representative Emma Waiwai and CONFEJES Representative, Dienebou Sanogo.
For more information or to meet the IWG Global Executive, click here.
The IWG World Conference on Women & Sport will take place in Auckland, New Zealand, and online between 5 – 8 May 2022. Click here to find out more!
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