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Oceania Rugby understands that some population groups may be exposed to additional risk based on differing reasons not limited to age, ethnic origin, gender, language, religion, politics or any other reason. It is the responsibility of Oceania Rugby as a regional association of World Rugby to ensure that good safeguarding practice is applied across all levels of the organisations work. Due to the nature of sport Oceania Rugby acknowledges that children, girls and women, and people with disability are a population group that carries an identified higher risk and will address this specifically as appropriate.
Safeguarding are the internal actions of an organization taken to ensure that people and activities keep everyone physically and emotionally safe from harm, abuse, violence, exploitation and neglect during rugby activities and are able to effectively refer or respond to safeguarding incidents identified outside rugby activities.
This is different to Child Protection and other Protection laws which are activities that are required to respond to concerns for children’s safety who have been at identified as being at risk of/or are suffering harm through abuse, violence, exploitation and neglect, where intervention is conducted by service providers.
As the regional governing body for rugby in the Oceania region Oceania Rugby commits to creating and maintaining a safe environment and building a culture in rugby that is understood, endorsed, and put into action by all people involved in our activities by ensuring there are preventative measures in place to identify and minimise risks to keep everyone, especially children and vulnerable population groups safe from all forms of harm, exploitation, and abuse. This can be understood as Oceania Rugby’s commitment to the principle of simply ‘do no harm’. This will include clear and accessible systems for reporting and referring cases of concern for someone’s safety, responding to the need for support with integrity, and keeping the best interests of all individuals involved central to all decision making.
Player Welfare is World Rugby's number one priority and it is the responsibility of Regional Associations and Unions to take steps to ensure that rugby is a safe and enjoyable experience. Oceania Rugby's Safeguarding Policy do no harm. The policy outlines the responsibilities that everyone involved in our game has to help us create and maintain a physically and emotionally safe environment.
If you have any concerns for someone's physical or emotion safety relating to Oceania Rugby please let us know via our confidential email safeguarding@oceaniarugby.com.
When required Community Social Service resources are included within reporting and response mechanisms. Oceania Rugby and Member Unions have identified key Government and Non-Government services providers for referral to. For a full list of community services providers please contact your national union or Oceania Rugby.
In addition to the identified Community Service Providers Oceania Rugby is steered by best practice standards and guidelines from: