Call for pilot projects: Engaging with Gender-based violence Through Sports

RESISTIRÉ is funding a pilot project which will set up a programme of activities to be implemented through sport and contributing towards raising awareness and increasing prevention of gender-based violence among young people, coaches and managers.

Open Call Guidelines (.pdf)

Call for projects: Engaging with gender-based violence through sports

During the COVID-19 pandemic, gender-based violence has increased substantially. Results from the RESISTIRÉ project show a significant rise in cases, with women experiencing more physical and sexual violence than before (Stovell et al. 2022, report D3.1). Violence against women and girls has consequences for gender equality, as it causes damage to both the physical and mental health of the victim, leading to additional problems such as loss of work or study days, increased sick leave, reduced ability to work or study and feelings of loneliness, all of which can further affect the quality of life of many women and girls. Prevention of gender-based violence can play a central role in addressing its root causes. It can take many forms and be pursued not only in schools, but also in other places of aggregation, such as youth centres, sport clubs and organisations.

This pilot action takes place through sport. Why sport? The European Union highly values the positive role that it can play in education (European Commission, 2022). It is recognised that sport has a high formative value for the personality: what is learnt during practice can influence the behaviour and attitudes of children and young people in their lives (Gasparini & Cometti, 2010). Moreover, sport can be a key tool for promoting social and personal values such as team spirit, discipline, perseverance, and fair play. Nevertheless, if poorly designed or managed, sport activities may increase the risk of reinforcing gender stereotypes, heteronormativity, and male-domination, as well as strengthen exclusionary or violent attitudes and behaviours. Gender-based violence is also prevalent in sports clubs (Council of Europe, 2019), though still under-reported (Mergaert et. al, 2016).  

In this context, the pilot project aims to co-create and develop a programme of activities to be implemented through sport and raise awareness about gender-based violence among young people, coaches, and managers and work towards increasing its prevention.

what should the project achieve?

The pilot project will aim to:

Raise awareness and increase prevention among young people, coaches and managers of sports organisations about the prevalence and consequences of different forms of GBV
Mobilise coaches and managers of sports organisations as actors for change
Develop a programme of activities addressing GBV to be implemented through sport that could be scaled up and disseminated amongst the wider youth sports landscape
Set up an inclusive sports event to disseminate the project amongst the general public.

Timeframe and funding

The pilot project should run from October 2022 until May 2023

The maximum grant amount for this project is 35,000 €

Who can apply?

Projects should be implemented in one of the eligible countries: EU27 as well as UK, Serbia, Iceland (except Spain, Austria and Turkey, since applicants from these already received funding to implement the first cycle pilot projects).

Eligible applicants are non-governmental organisations, grassroots and community-based organisations and associations active in the field of sports, and/or non-formal education (possibly through sport) and/or gender-based violence (e.g., women’s networks and associations focusing on GBV).