New Zealand Prime Minister, the Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern and New Zealand Minister for Sport & Recreation, the Hon Grant Robertson, sent personal messages to the IWG Global Executive last weekend, as it gathered in London, UK, for the Annual General Meeting of the International Working Group (IWG) on Women & Sport, hosted and sponsored by the British Olympic Association, British Paralympic Association, UK Sport and the Commonwealth Games Federation.
The messages reinforced New Zealand’s commitment to the IWG, as it hosts the Secretariat & World Conference between 2018 – 2022. Women in Sport Aotearoa New Zealand became delivery agent in October 2018.
11 members of the IWG Global Executive attended the 2-day meeting, including the NGO representatives from WomenSport International (WSI) and the International Association of Physical Education for Girls and Women (IAPESGW), plus Regional Representatives from Africa, Asia, Europe, Americas and Oceania; and Co-Opted experts. The 2019-2022 Operational Plan was successfully presented and approved with other key business.
In her message, Prime Minister Ardern said:
“I’m really thrilled that, as a country, we will be welcoming delegates from around the globe in 2022, to an event (the 8th IWG World Conference, 5-8 May 2022) which champions gender equity and helps us increase opportunities for women and girls to be involved in sport and active recreation at all levels. New Zealand prides itself on the progress that we have made towards gender equity. We’re very proud of the fact that we were thr first country where women won the right to vote. We now have women represented throughout our leadership, including as our Governor-General, and Chief Justice, and I’m of course the third female Prime Minister that New Zealand has had.”
Watch her video message here.
Minister Robertson added:
“Winning the rights to host the International Working Group on women & Sport has been a real highlight for me as the Minister for Sport & Recreation. We know we’ve got a big legacy to follow on from and I want to thank Botswana for their hosting of the Secretariat over the last few years. I’ve made women and girls in sport one of my top priorities. We know that there is so much opportunity for women and girls to be able to fulfil their potential through sport and recreation. We’ve put in place a strategy which is focussed on lifting the value and visibility of women and girls in sport and making sure that we improve participation, and also leadership.”
Watch his video message here.
Read the announcement of the AGM here.
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