Rugby Stars Help Fiji in their Commitment to Gender Equality
August 19, 2022
Fijian rugby stars, Rusila Nagasau and Jerry Tuwai have become official ambassadors of the Get into Rugby PLUS program. Developed and implemented by Oceania Rugby, Fiji Rugby Union, Lakapi Samoa, UN Women and ChildFund Rugby, the program promotes gender equality and positive behaviors that help prevent violence against women, girls and boys.
According to the United Nations, 2 in 3 women in the Pacific are impacted by gender-based violence – twice the global average. Fiji is ranked amongst the highest for violence against women and girls with reports showing that 64% of women in a relationship have experienced physical or sexual violence - more than double the average rate of 30%.
Initiated in 2018 in Fiji and launched in Samoa last year, Get into Rugby PLUS builds on World Rugby's Get into Rugby initiative. The program embeds life skills learning with rugby and benefits from "progressive team activities led by trained coaches who model the values of inclusion and diversity and create safe playing environments." The learning component in the program engages players in processes of critical thinking and reflection around issues of respectful relationships, gender stereotypes and violence to build knowledge, confidence and resilience.
The curriculum uses "rugby's values of integrity, solidarity, respect, discipline and passion". It also commits to a 50% split amongst male and female coaches and players to challenge and normalize females in both leadership roles and as players in the sport. Developed specifically for communities within the Pacific region, the curriculum has been adapted from ChildFund Rugby's award-winning (including a Beyond Sport Global Award) Pass it Back program, which ensures that young people are equipped to overcome challenges, inspire positive change and "pass it back" to their communities.
Tuwai and Nagasau believe that programs such as Get into Rugby PLUS are much needed in driving down the rise of gender-based violence in the region. Tuwai said that while learning how to tackle, pass and side-step, the students are also learning how to challenge gender stereotypes and address some primary drivers of violence against women and men.
"I'm so happy to be an ambassador for Get into Rugby PLUS. It has done so much for encouraging more girls to play rugby and for women to coach. But even more importantly, it is changing mindsets of girls and boys around gender equality and that there is no place for violence, ever," said Nagasau.
The program has grown to nearly 50 coaches leading over 1000 girls and boys across 36 school and community sites across Fiji annually. Participating students report having greater knowledge and support to identify, reduce and report harassment and violence. Further evaluation also shows that both girls and boys achieve significant improvements in their rugby skills and confidence, and overwhelmingly feel safer and more respected.
"It [Get into Rugby PLUS] has had such a great impact on my outlook in life. I had to change in order for this program to work. It has made me a better husband and father. I get to reach my players something that was never taught to me when growing up. As they will grow up they will be that positive change our challenging Fiji needs right now," said Usaia Loki, one of the program's coaches.