WIPA and CWI vow to safeguard Women's team following sexual harassment allegations

The Cricket West Indies (CWI) and the West Indies Players' Association have vowed to discuss on the safety measures of female cricketers, following allegations related to sexual harassment. The issue was first reported by the Windies' women team during the T20 World Cup in 2020, and finally, after almost five years the bodies have come up collectively, taking critical measures to avoid such incidents in the future.

On Saturday, March 22, both bodies addressed the need to discuss serious matters like those to ensure a safe, professional, and supportive environment for the players and the supportive staff. Their joint statement pointed some of the measures taken to ensure the safety of the players, including an MOU signed for the period October 2023 to September 2027.

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"In 2021, improved safeguarding measures were introduced for women's tours, strengthening security and well-being. In May 2023, CWI implemented additional policies, including single-room accommodations for the West Indies Senior Women's team on all international assignments, ensuring parity with the men's team. These are among other policy initiatives within the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the period 1 October 2023 to 30 September 2027," CWI and WIPA's statement read.

CWI, WIPA adhere to UNICEF's Children Protection Policy

The statement also pointed out that the CWI Women's Cricket Transformation Committee was formed to address the issues of Women's cricket. The statement added that UNICEF's Children Protection Policy, Training Policies, and other measures were taken to ensure the safety of the Women's cricket.

"Furthermore, we have implemented and strictly adhered to UNICEF's Children Protection Policy, ensuring that minors never share rooms with adults under any circumstance. Additionally, we have mandated ongoing training for all officials to reinforce and uphold these standards," the statement further added.

After winning the Women's T20 World Cup in 2016, West Indies Women failed to make a mark in the Women's T20 World Cup in 2020. From Group B, they claimed a solitary win and sustained two losses, including a washout against South Africa, which led to their disqualification. WI Women's team that took part in the tournament alleged the sexual harassment.