To Lead is to Serve: New Report Shares the Voices of Pasifika Women in Sport Leadership.

The 2023 report To Lead is to Serve: Voices of Pacific Women in Sport Leadership in Aotearoa New Zealand is now available.

Commissioned by Sport NZ and led by Pasifika Sisters in Sport, this research captures the leadership experiences of 49 Pasifika women in sport and recreation across Aotearoa. It explores how Pacific cultural values shape leadership aspirations and practice, and identifies the structural changes needed to support Pasifika women to thrive.

Key findings from the report:

• Leadership for Pasifika women is grounded in tautua (service) and nurtured early through family, faith, and community.

• Pacific cultural values such as humility and respect are often misinterpreted in Western leadership contexts, creating barriers to recognition and advancement.

• Many Pasifika women face challenges including tokenism, racism, and a lack of culturally grounded leadership pathways.

• There is a strong call for a Pacific-led Women in Sport leadership network and investment in safe, culturally informed spaces for development.

The findings reinforce the need for sustained investment, structural change, and collective action to ensure Pasifika women are visible, valued, and supported to lead at every level of the sport and recreation sector.

Pasifika Sisters in Sport is proud to share this research as part of an ongoing commitment to advancing equity in sport leadership. The voices in this report are a powerful reminder that inclusive, values-based leadership enriches the entire sector.

Read the highlights report here.

Read the full report here.