Australian Government and International Olympic Committee Partner to Boost Support for Pacific Sports

Australian Government and International Olympic Committee Partner to Boost Support for Pacific Sports 

Australian Minister for International Development and the Pacific, Hon Pat Conroy, has announced that the Australian Government, in collaboration with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) through its Olympism365 strategy, will lead a co-investment partnership aimed at boosting funding opportunities for community-based sport and play initiatives across the Pacific.

This investment is directed towards the Play for Equity Fund, a small grants funding initiative started in 2022 through the Australian Government’s sport for development program Team Up, aimed at supporting innovative and intersectional community projects advancing gender justice through sport and play. The collaboration signified through this co-investment is aligned to the efforts of the Oceania Impact Network, a collective of committed stakeholders who share a common vision of promoting gender equality, inclusion, and safety in and through sport in the Pacific region, and currently comprises of, the Oceania National Olympic Committees Equity Commission, the UN Women Fiji Multi-Country Office, Team Up and the IOC through Olympism 365 and Olympic Solidarity. 

The Australian Government, through its Team Up program, along with the IOC's co-investment through Olympism365, will help support a greater number of community initiatives through the Play for Equity Fund. This year, out of over 130 applications received from various groups and individuals across the Pacific islands, 21 grantees have been selected. This is more than double last year's selection of eight recipients, which has been made possible by the additional funding from this co-investment. Among the 21 grantees, two are individuals, while the majority are comprised of groups and community-based organisations.

The 21 successful grantees were confirmed by an Advisory Committee, made up of experts in women’s rights, feminist activism, disability justice, LGBTIQ+ rights and sport, from around the Pacific in May 2024.

These grantees represent a diverse group from the Cook Islands, Fiji, the Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Niue, Papua New Guinea, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, and Vanuatu. Each of these grantees will contribute to advancing gender justice through various sport and play initiatives in their respective countries.

Quotes attributable to the Minister for International Development and the Pacific, the Hon Pat Conroy MP:

“Australia and the Pacific share a rich history and deep love of sport. Sport unites us, strengthening our connections. Beyond the fields, sports have the transformative power to shape our communities in profound ways.

We're glad to see the Play for Equity Fund being expanded with the International Olympic Committee co-investment through Olympism365. I'm excited to see the impact the small grant funding will have for the new Play for Equity recipients.

Quotes attributable to Auvita Rapilla, IOC Member, ONOC Executive Board Member, Chair of the IOC’s Olympism365 Commission:

“So many people and communities from across our Pacific nations are not active, included or benefiting from sport. We need to work collectively to champion and scale locally led sport for development initiatives and partnerships.  The Play for Equity Fund is a great example of this collective action approach to advancing sport for sustainable development in the region, aligning closely with the IOC’s Olympism365 strategy and the work of our collaborators in the Pacific. Supporting the Australian Government's efforts in this regard is a testament to our commitment to leveraging sports and Olympism for positive social change.”

Quotes attributable to Roshika Deo, Team Up’s GEDSI and Safeguarding Adviser: 

"This funding opportunity offers access to small grants for marginalised groups in rural and hard-to-reach communities from across the Pacific. These community-based organisations who apply are made up of passionate individuals who are dedicated to using sport and play to contribute to advancing disability and gender justice.

Team Up has been inspired by the impact that some of the inaugural Play for Equity Fund grantees had in addressing discrimination and stigma towards people with disabilities, the LGBTIQ+ community and women and girls,

We are very excited about the IOC coming on board which helps us to increase the reach and scope of the Fund. In this round we had a quota to ensure that a minimum of 60 per cent of funding is directed towards projects that have a key focus on disability and LGBTIQ+ rights.”  

Quotes attributable to Manasa Dokainivalu, a representative from the Sports Committee of Lomaivuna High School in Fiji, which was one of the selected Play for Equity Fund grantees from round one:

“We're incredibly thankful to Team Up for choosing us as a grant recipient. With their support, we were able to level our school grounds, bought jerseys for the first time for our girls' rugby league team, and got a tent for tournaments and training. Before, our grounds were too swampy resulting in injury, but now both our boys and girls can train better. 

The girls are no more sharing jerseys with the boys during tournaments; we surprised the girls with their own jerseys, where they were overjoyed and it really boosted their team spirit, so much so, they even reached the finals of the tournament that year. The new tent also provided a safe place for bags and a sheltered gathering spot for parents and teachers. The grant made a huge difference to the self-esteem of our girls, and we're so grateful.”

Quote attributable to Matt Carroll AM, Chief Executive and Secretary General Australian Olympic Committee

“The Australian Olympic Committee welcomes the collaboration of the International Olympic Committee with the Australian Government to further the aims of the Play for Equity Fund to offer access to small grants for marginalised groups in rural and hard-to-reach communities from across the Pacific. The combination of this initiative with the AOC’s partnership with the Australian Government, through the PacificAus Sports program, in delivering the Pacific2Paris project supporting high performance athletes, will provide the direct link between community sport and the Olympic Games, inspiring the youth of the Pacific as we head to the “home Games” for Oceania in 2032.

A case study from the Play for Equity Fund grantees in 2023:

Case study: Empowering women and LGBTQI+ community in Kiribati through Nei Mom Uprising & BIMBA 

 In Kiribati, women, especially those who are single parents, and members of the LGBTQI+ community often feel excluded from sports due to societal norms deeming their participation inappropriate. However, the Nei Mom Uprising & BIMBA community initiative has been working to change these perceptions and provide inclusive opportunities for these groups. With the support of the Play for Equity Fund grant, Nei Mom Uprising & BIMBA has significantly increased their awareness programs and sporting activities aimed at women and the LGBTQI+ community. The grant has enabled Nei Mom Uprising & BIMBA to promote netball, volleyball and basketball as an inclusive and safe sport. This effort has not only increased participation but also started to break down the stigma associated with women and LGBTQI+ community members engaging in sports. 

One of the key achievements have been strengthening the relationship with government agencies. Nei Mom and BIMBA initiated collaboration with the Ministry of Women, Youth, Sports and Social Affairs by inviting them to participate in one of their trainings under the grant, which has now led to regular engagement on sport policy development and implementation.

A significant shift in perceptions has been observed, with more women and LGBTQI individuals feeling empowered to participate. One notable success story is Meei Kamkei, a young binabinaaine who felt unsafe and was discriminated against in sports but has now found a safe space as a result of the collaboration with Nei Mom Uprising and BIMBA. She shared, “Our health and being active is just as important for us as it is for others. I feel comfortable and safe to participate in sporting activities together with Nei Mom. This has made me feel included and healthy not only physically but also emotionally. Other BIMBA members have come together with Nei Mom members to share their experiences and perspectives. Having this shared safe space and honest discussions helped remove some of the stigma towards our community. Sports draws us together.” 

Lily Brechtefeld Kumkee from Nei Mom Uprising has said, “The space we created was important as it allowed the BIMBA and Nei Mom members to talk to each other and to build better understanding and trust without letting religious or cultural perspectives prejudice us. The BIMBA members opened their hearts and shared their issues and challenges. We are breaking barriers in terms of sports and being inclusive of all genders. It is a lot of work to do. It is challenging as it is seen as against religion and culture but we are doing it slowly, we are giving it meaning and we will get there. We have used sports to get people around the table and to create safe spaces.”

The efforts of Nei Mom Uprising & BIMBA, supported by the Play for Equity Fund, is changing the narrative around women and LGBTQI community participation in sports in Kiribati.