From left: Sport NI Interim CEO Richard Archibald, Northern Ireland Women’s Football Manager Tanya Oxtoby, Junior Minister to First Minister Aisling Reilly MLA, Junior Minister to Deputy First Minister Pam Cameron MLA, 1500m European Champion Ciara Mageean, 1972 Olympic Gold medalist Lady Mary Peters and Sport NI Interim Director of Sport, Rebecca Hope
LAUNCHED at an event in the MAC Belfast, the Be Seen, Be Heard, Belong campaign focuses on levelling the playing field and ensuring women and girls have the same opportunities as men and boys to take part in sport and physical activity.
51% of the population is female, but women are less likely to take part in sport and physical activity than men, and female participation and club membership lags behind their male counterparts.
Rebecca Hope, Interim Director of Sport at Sport NI, said: “Sport has the power to change lives; it is of immense benefit to our physical and mental health, it brings people and communities together and teaches us vital life skills.
“Sport is often a male dominated environment, but we want women and girls to be seen, be heard and belong in sport.
“We want women to feel safe, we want to see their achievements celebrated and we want to see more female players, coaches, officials and board members driving change within their sport.
“Through this campaign, we are calling on the sports sector to make their clubs more inclusive and welcoming to women and girls and we will be providing support to help make this vision a reality.
“We will be celebrating some of the amazing women making a real impact on sport, whether that is at elite level or within their local communities, on the pitch, on the sideline and in the boardroom.
“We hope that through this campaign more women and girls will feel empowered to stand up, speak out and find their place in sport.
”The event included two engaging panel discussions.
“The first saw 1500m European Champion Ciara Mageean and NI Senior Women’s football manager nager Tanya Oxtoby sharing their personal sporting journeys while leadership coach Sinead Sharkey Steenson highlighted what might be holding women back and how we can overcome these challenges.”
Ciara Mageean reflected on her experience of both athletics and camogie, the support she has received, and the impact sport has had on her life.
She said: “I feel so fortunate to have had that camogie club. It was a safe space for me and whenever we are talking about women and girls having that opportunity to be seen, be heard and belong, that place was a place where I belonged.
“That pitch with the sun on the grass and the dew on the ground, my sister and my friends beside me, was my little haven and it was a place for little Ciara to learn herself, to go through the highs and lows where it’s safe to lose.”
Tanya Oxtoby spoke about her career to date and stressed the importance of female coaches and giving them opportunities to develop and thrive in leadership roles. S
She said: “Female coaches need an opportunity to go and apply their trade and develop and learn.
“It’s no different to when you’re a player and the time you have to spend on the grass to try and get better.
“My job is to make sure I provide that opportunity and open those doors. And we do that, every single window we have female coaches come in and they have that opportunity to work with our players, because that’s my responsibility.”
The second panel discussion focused on the importance of male allyship and what men and boys can do to make sport a more welcoming environment for women and girls.
Marc Mullholland, Vice-Chair of Basketball NI and Tyrone GAA player Conor Meyler, who is currently researching gender inequality in sport for his PhD shared why they are standing up to become male allies.
Conor said:”I think we have a chance to be a leader in promoting Women in Sport. When I saw Sport NI had this initiative, I was eager to get involved.
“The topic of Male allyship is really important. Sport is very much still dominated by men, rather than relying on women to voice for gender equality and opportunities, we need to change the majority which is the men.
“So, to have last longing impact, that is sitting with men.”
Be Seen, Be Heard, Belong will run for three years.
As a first step, Sport NI is asking everyone to sign up and join the movement. Throughout the campaign a range of resources will be available to support women and girls in sport and to support sports clubs and organisations to make meaningful change.
To sign up, visit: www.beseenbeheardbelong.co.uk
Host Nicola McCarthy, BBC Sport, on stage at the Be Seen, Be Heard, Belong launch with Sinead Sharkey Steenson, Founder and Director of Generation Women, Northern Ireland Women’s football manager Tanya Oxtoby and 1500m European Champion Ciara Mageean
Be Seen, Be Heard Ambassadors include:
Lady Mary Peters, Olympic Gold Medallist
Katherine Grainger, Chair UK Sport & Olympic rowing legend
Angela Platt, Director of Women’s Football Official
Aimee Oliver, Volleyball NI and fitness business owner
Abi Lyle, Olympian, dressage
Marissa Callaghan, former NI women’s football captain
Roisin Mc Erlean, Camogie
Louise Thompson, first woman to referee a men’s Irish Premiership match
Anna Pim, At the Heart of the Game
Conor Meyler, Tyrone GAA
Marc Mullholland, Basketball NI
