On 10th September, the latest NI Sport and Human Rights Forum meeting took place at the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (NIHRC)’s offices in Belfast. The purpose of the meeting was to explore Sport and Inclusion, focusing on several areas including young people, asylum seekers and refugees, women & girls, and disability.
Gráinne Murphy from Swim Ireland presented on the work of Swim Ireland’s Athletes’ Commission, including how they strive to include the voice of young people in their work.
Next up to present was Funmi Abayomi from the Ethnic Minority Sport Organisation NI (EMSONI), exploring the impact of sport on the lives of the ethnic minority communities in Northern Ireland, and their initiatives to engage refugees and asylum-seekers.
Following EMSONI was Netball NI, with Lisa Rickett and Meg Wallace sharing the organisation’s efforts to promote women and girls in sport. They highlighted the key barriers facing women getting involved in sporting activities, as well as all the benefits it can provide.
The Forum then heard from Anna Pim, founder of At the Heart of the Game, about her own inspiring story, detailing her sporting journey in hockey and how she set up her organisation which provides players with CPR and AED awareness training.
Finally, Ulster GAA’s Shane McCann and Paul Callaghan shared the story and benefits of GAA for All, a family of initiatives in the GAA including wheelchair hurling and camogie, Fun and Run, the HERO programme and other inclusive activities. They were joined by wheelchair hurler Peadar Heffron who was able to update members about his experience as a player.
Alyson Kilpatrick, Chief Commissioner, said:
“This meeting of the NI Sport and Human Rights Forum was packed with timely and insightful presentations from organisations across a range of sports in Northern Ireland, all of whom are using their skills and experience to create a more inclusive space for everyone.
I would like to thank the representatives from Swim Ireland, EMSONI, Netball NI, At the Heart of the Game and Ulster GAA for taking the time to speak to Forum members about their work and for providing valuable insights on making inclusion a top priority.”