To ask the Minister for Communities to detail any role his Department has, in contributing to the ending of violence against women and girls, including work with men and boys through community and grassroots sports clubs.

As part of the development of the Executive’s Ending Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy, my Department made significant commitments. These include ensuring quality frontline services and protection for victims and survivors of violence against women and girls, alongside several other initiatives through the Northern Ireland Housing Executive.

In relation to sports, following requests for training in this area, Sport NI offered Keeping Adults Safe in Sport training to governing bodies in January and March 2025, which was facilitated by Volunteer Now.

Sport NI also offered governing bodies Domestic Abuse in Sport Awareness Sessions which were facilitated in November 2025 by Women’s Aid Federation. 36 participants across 26 Governing bodies attended the two sessions.

Sport NI sit as a representative body on Safeguarding in Sport Strategic Group where EVAWG strategy forms part of the discussions around the work the group does. Sport NI are currently working to procure an adult safeguarding service for the sports sector. This is scheduled to commence by the end of February 2026 and operate until March 2027. Sport NI representatives are also scheduled to meet with TEO Local Change fund representatives to explore work through the Change Funding pot for work with men and boys in the sports sector.