The powerful screening of Breaking Ground at the IWG Global Summit on Women & Sport concluded with a compelling Pacific-led conversation that challenged delegates to think beyond safeguarding in sport and towards transforming the societies in which women and girls live.
Facilitated by UN Women's Pacific Ending Violence Against Women Programme Specialist and Oceania Impact Network (OIN) Governance Team member Jurgita Serekaite, the reflection discussion brought together leaders from across the Pacific to explore how sport can become a catalyst for preventing violence against women and girls, shifting harmful social norms and creating safer, more inclusive communities.
The discussion followed the documentary's emotional portrayal of the rise of women's rugby in Fiji, featuring former Fijiana captain Rusila Nagasau and other pioneering athletes whose journeys have inspired a new generation of women and girls across the Pacific.
Opening the discussion, Serekaite reminded delegates that Breaking Ground was "much more than a documentary about rugby."
"It is a story of courage. A story of women who stepped onto a field that was never designed for them and in doing so, changed what an entire generation of girls believes is possible."
She challenged participants to consider the barriers many Pacific women and girls face long before they ever step onto a sporting field.
"For too many women across the Pacific, violence begins before they ever leave home. If we only focus on safeguarding within sport, we address only part of the problem. Our ambition must be bigger than creating safe sporting organisations. Our ambition must be to create societies where every woman and every girl can leave home safely, play safely, lead confidently and return home safely."
Drawing on UN Women's work across the Pacific, Serekaite highlighted that harmful social norms remain one of the greatest barriers to gender equality and that sport provides a unique platform to challenge attitudes, influence communities and promote respectful relationships.
She emphasised that meaningful change requires governments, sporting organisations, faith leaders, educators, families and communities to consistently reinforce the same message that women and girls belong in sport, deserve respect and should be free from violence.
The discussion then brought together diverse perspectives from across the Oceania Impact Network.
Oceania Rugby’s Women's Rugby Programs Manager, Sheridan Graham-Tupaea reflected on the importance of storytelling in changing perceptions, highlighting how authentic Pacific voices can inspire communities, celebrate women's leadership and encourage future generations to participate in sport.
ONOC Executive Director Inoke Bainimarama reinforced that while individual stories inspire change, sustainable progress requires coordinated leadership across governments, sporting organisations and development partners.
"The Olympic Movement has an important responsibility to ensure that safety and inclusion become the standard not simply programmes or policies. Through partnerships like the Oceania Impact Network, we are demonstrating that collective action can reshape sporting systems and create lasting opportunities for women and girls across our region."
Representing the Australian Governments Sport for Development Programem Team Up, Roshika Deo highlighted the practical work underway across the Pacific to strengthen safeguarding policies and build prevention into the everyday governance of sport.
She emphasised that creating opportunities for women and girls is only meaningful when those environments are safe, inclusive and intentionally designed to prevent harm before it occurs.
Throughout the discussion, speakers reinforced that safeguarding, gender equality and the prevention of violence against women and girls cannot be treated as separate agendas.
Instead, delegates heard how the Oceania Impact Network brings together the complementary strengths of the Oceania National Olympic Committees (ONOC), UN Women, Team Up, Oceania Rugby and the International Olympic Committee's Olympism365 initiative to influence policy, strengthen systems and shift power closer to communities.
Closing the session, Serekaite reflected on the significance of the documentary and the conversations it had inspired.
"Breaking Ground is not simply the story of women breaking into rugby. It is the story of what becomes possible when society begins to believe in women differently."
She concluded by reminding delegates that when institutions work together, sport becomes far more than competition.
"When women are given opportunities to lead, communities change. And when organisations collaborate across sectors—as we have through the Oceania Impact Network we don't just change sport; we change what the next generation believes is possible."
The reflection discussion formed part of the Oceania Continental Association Session at the IWG Global Summit, showcasing the Pacific's collaborative approach to advancing gender equality through sport.
About Breaking Ground
Breaking Ground tells the remarkable story of the rise of women's rugby in Fiji and the women whose courage transformed the game for future generations. Produced by Oceania Rugby, the documentary was developed in partnership with UN Women and the Fiji Rugby Union, with support from the Australian Government through PacificAus Sports and the Pacific Partnership to End Violence Against Women and Girls. The film highlights how sport can become a powerful platform for advancing gender equality, challenging harmful social norms and creating safer, more inclusive communities across the Pacific.
