Source: Asia Development Bank
Inclusive sports can empower women with disabilities, and foster accessibility, social integration, and gender equality in the Pacific. Recent Paralympic milestones and policy examples illustrate the ongoing need for supportive infrastructures and greater representation to create equitable opportunities in sports.
The importance of sport for women with disabilities cannot be overstated. It provides a platform for empowerment, fostering physical and mental well-being, and breaking societal barriers related to gender and disability. Participation in sports helps build confidence, resilience, and a sense of community.
The Paralympic Games have been instrumental in setting standards for inclusion, showcasing the incredible talents and achievements of athletes with disabilities on a global stage. By promoting gender equality and providing equal opportunities, the Paralympics inspire change and highlight the importance of accessibility and inclusivity in sports.
This year’s Paralympic Games in Paris marked a historic milestone with a record 1,983 women, or 45% of participants, across 549 medal events in 22 sports, making it the most gender-inclusive Paralympics ever. It was also a historic moment for the Pacific region, as it sent its largest contingent of athletes to the Paralympic Games.
Thirteen athletes, comprising seven women and six men, represented six countries to compete in para-athletics and para-taekwondo: Fiji, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tonga, and Vanuatu. According to the Oceania Paralympic Committee, the Pacific athletes “not only represent their nations but also the aspirations of the entire Pacific region.”
Among the remarkable athletes was Tongan discus thrower Meleane Vasitai Leaaepeni Falemaka, known as Vasi, who competed in the Paralympic Games for the first time. She is making her mark on the global stage as Tonga’s sole representative in the Paralympic Games where she competed in the women’s F37 discus throw event. Prior to the Paralympics, Vasi achieved her personal best throw at the World Para Athletics Grand Prix April 2024 held in Marrakech, Morocco.
Women with disabilities outnumber men with disabilities in most Pacific countries, largely due to longer life expectancy and the increased likelihood of acquiring disabilities in old age. Persons with disabilities are overrepresented among the poorest of the poor across the region and face economic and social exclusion, violence, and accessibility challenges.
Despite this, women with disabilities often do not get to make decisions that affect them. Evidence from 19 countries shows that only 2.3% of women with disabilities held a position as a legislator, senior official, or manager. Only four out of 18 countries in the region had a “woman with disability” in parliament.
Sports provide a powerful platform for empowering women with disabilities, fostering inclusion, and challenging societal barriers.
The following actions are needed to increase the inclusion of women with disabilities in sports:
Enhance policy and financing for gender and disability inclusive sport. Governments must enact robust legislation to eliminate accessibility barriers in multiple areas such as transport, housing, services, education, and sport. For example, Brazil passed the “Inclusion of People with Disabilities Act” before the Rio 2016 Paralympics that aimed to enhance the lives of the nearly 50 million people with impairments in Brazil. This Act increased the amount allocated to para-sports from the gross revenues of the federal lotteries, from around $26 million to $49 million per year.
Promote accessibility and inclusivity of sport. The Paralympics have made strides in accommodating athletes with disabilities through modified rules and regular reassessments by classifiers. Classification varies across sports, for example, swimming has up to 10 eligible impairment types, and classifications depend on how much an impairment affects performance.
In wheelchair basketball, players are rated from 1.0 to 4.5 based on their disability level with a maximum point total allowed per team to ensure competitive balance. This approach enhances fairness and integrity in competitions, creating a more equitable environment for all Paralympic athletes.
Include women with disabilities in stakeholder consultations. This can be done through partnerships with local organizations and women’s groups where women with disabilities take on leadership and decision-making roles. Mapping stakeholders supporting people with disabilities is crucial in creating awareness among all stakeholders and policymakers in sport on the needs of women athletes with disabilities.
Ensuring that sports facilities are accessible and safe for women with disabilities. Sports facilities must be designed within the lens of gender and disability. This not only promotes physical health but also enhances social integration and economic opportunities for people with disabilities.
Governments and development partners’ financial commitments to accessibility improvements are essential. For instance, prior to the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing, the People’s Republic of China invested over $150 million to make 14,000 facilities accessible across the country. Similarly, for the Rio 2016 Games, nearly $1 million was allocated to enhance access to major tourist attractions and sports arenas.
Promoting media representation to change perceptions. Media coverage can significantly change societal perceptions. For example, UK’s Channel 4 won various awards for its coverage of the London 2012 Paralympics, which included presenters with disabilities.
The channel spent $1.2 million searching for, recruiting, training and developing the skills of media professionals to ensure that half of the on-screen talent during the Games consisted of persons with disabilities. The channel’s “Meet the Superhumans” commercial combined powerful imagery of athletes with their extraordinary stories creating a compelling narrative that resonated widely and likely changed attitudes towards Paralympic sports.
Encouraging women with disabilities to take up sports. Sport enables women with disabilities to develop social skills and independence. Families and carers can help foster the love for sport by initiating play and developing interest, which can also serve as a shared activity. Sport can also be a transformative tool for women to demonstrate their abilities, which can help reduce the longstanding negative perceptions and gender stereotypes associated with women with disabilities.
By addressing these issues, we can create an environment where athletes like Vasi can thrive, inspiring future generations and contributing to a more inclusive and equitable society in the Pacific.