5. Human rights legacy opportunities This Human Rights Risk Assessment has necessarily focused on the potential adverse impacts that the FWWC2023 might pose. The process has also sparked enthusiasm and inspired many conversations with key stakeholders as to the possible human rights legacy and opportunities that the tournament presents for Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand. Ultimately, the success of the tournament will be judged by the lasting impact it leaves on the players, workers and the broader communities in the two host nations. In 2013, an Australian parliamentary inquiry was conducted to inquire into the participation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in sport.90 This inquiry focused on two issues; increasing Indigenous participation in sport and secondly utilising sport to improve Indigenous wellbeing and support the Close the Gap91 targets. The inquiry’s report, ‘More than Just a Game’, highlighted the positive impacts on a wide range of human rights issues and life outcomes that participation in sport can support. It also noted the importance of and benefits that flow from involving the community in any initiatives designed to increase participation by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in sport. It is notable that there is a significant discrepancy in participation rates at the community level between Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander boys and girls. The significant underrepresentation of girls in this context requires specific and targeted measures to bring about gender parity in participation rates. Stakeholder engagement through this process has identified a range of issues that would be a natural and fitting human rights legacy for the FWWC2023. Accordingly, FIFA, the local entities and/or the host governments are encouraged to consider how to address these issues as part of their strategic planning for and beyond the FWWC2023. The key issues and opportunities identified are set out below: • Gender equality—creating pipelines for women’s leadership and achieving gender parity in participation and representation beyond players, to include officials, referees, coaches and all involved in women’s football, access to facilities, pay, sponsorship, media coverage, and creating a culture of respect, that is free from abuse. Further, changing the way in which women athletes and the women’s game is spoken about, without sexualising athletes and being sexist. • Volunteers—building a diverse and inclusive community for Australian and Aotearoa New Zealand Football. • Indigenous partnership—building institutional understanding of the importance of appropriate and meaningful partnership, engagement and recognition of tangata whenua and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples through MSEs and best practice approaches in this area, with Australia learning lessons from and building a closer partnership with Aotearoa New Zealand on this and other issues. • Diverse media representation in the coverage of sports, both in terms of stories that are told, who tells those stories and how they are told. • Social procurement that supports Indigenous enterprise and other underrepresented or marginalised groups, and investment back into communities hosting the tournament. • Addressing racial equality through a broad campaign with the aims of reducing spectator abuse, improving civility and support on social media especially for women and people with diverse identities who experience intersecting forms of discrimination. FIFA 2023 Women’s World Cup Human Rights Risk Assessment • 65