To build greater equality and inclusion in local sports, sporting leaders, advocates and community representatives met in Nukuʻalofa last week, from 2-4 September, for a three-day Gender and Disability Inclusion workshop that tackled how stereotypes, unconscious bias and inequalities continue to exclude girls, women and people with disabilities from fully participating in sport.

The workshop, delivered through the Australian Government’s Team Up program in partnership with the Women and Children’s Crisis Center Tonga (WCCC), was designed to equip sports organisations with practical ways to build equality and inclusion.

HE Mr. Brek Batley, Australian High Commissioner to Tonga, said, “Gender equality and disability inclusion are at the heart of Team Up’s impact. Between 2021 and 2024, nearly 30,000 primary school students and more than 3,800 coaches, teachers and community leaders took part in the program. By making gender equality and disability inclusion a priority, we are helping to ensure that sport remains an inclusive and empowering space for all. Australia is proud to stand alongside our Team Up partners in increasing the participation of girls, women and people with disabilities in sport in Tonga.”

Meanwhile, the Director of WCCC, 'Ofa Guttenbeil Likiliki, said, “The Women and Children’s Crisis Center (WCCC) is pleased to support sport organisations to deepen their learning on gender, norms and stereotypes, and how they manifest in sport. During the workshop, we also delivered sessions on gender-based violence and had engaging discussions with the Team Up partners on building respect, creating safe environment and strong teams through challenging harmful gender norms and stereotypes.”

The participants shared how gender stereotypes and unconscious bias influence how people act both on and off the field, while disability advocates reminded everyone that exclusion from sport remains an everyday reality for many people with disabilities.

The conversations were focused on lived experiences and solutions to change the culture of sport in Tonga.

“The sessions on gender stereotypes and masculinity were useful as it will help us review our current program and activities and identify gaps to continue strengthening our program. Analysing the different disability inclusion models helped provide clarity on how to overcome barriers for disability inclusion. I will not only be able to apply this to our workplace but also my community and my immediate family," said Tonga Football Association’s Just Play Project Manager Lafaele Moala.

The workshop was attended by Team Up partners, Tonga Sports Association and National Olympic Committee (TASANOC) and Tonga Leitis Association (TLA).

Team Up GEDSI and Safeguarding Advisor Roshika Deo, who led the training, said, “During the three days, discussions on gender stereotypes and toxic masculinity in sports helped the participants to better understand how these are ingrained in sport but also in the decisions and conducts of people involved in sport. The workshop provided a space to reflect on this, share, and explore different ways to challenge these norms.

Team Up is Australia's sport for development program in the Asia-Pacific. With more than 60 partners across seven Pacific Island countries, their programs are specifically designed to provide all people, regardless of gender or ability, the opportunity to realise their full potential through sport.

In Tonga, the Australian government’s Team Up program supports four sport for development programs that use sport to address barriers faced by women, girls and people with disability, these are:

• Just Play Plus (Oceania Football Confederation partnering with Football Australia and Tonga Football Association): helping children to grow, learn and explore through football with a ball, a coach, and a safe place to play.
• League for Life (NRL partnering with Mai E Nima): using the power of rugby league to engage and develop Tongan communities to improve gender equality, social cohesion, health and participation opportunities for people with disabilities.
• One Netball (Netball Australia partnering with ChildFund Australia and Tonga Netball Association): enabling Tongan communities to experience lifelong enjoyment, social inclusion and improved physical health through netball.
• Smash Down Barriers (ITTF-Oceania partnering with Tonga Table Tennis Federation): using table tennis as a tool to improve the lives of people with disabilities by increasing participation opportunities and improving the attitudes both by and towards people with disabilities.