SUPPORTER: A turning point in gender equality in sport

Eight higher education sport institutions from central and Eastern Europe, with Faculty of Physical Education and Sport of the University of Banja Luka as one of them, successfully developed, adopted, and published their inclusive, innovative, intersectional and influential plans of gender equality, known as 4I-GEPs, within the SUPPORTER project. 

The project was realized with the support of partner organizations – the University of Gothenburg, South East European Research Centre, and European Science Foundation.

SUPPORTER is financed by the European Union, and its goal is to encourage sustainable and transformative institutional changes in higher education in the field of sport. The focus of the project was on prevention and fighting gender-based violence, and improving gender equality, which resulted in the joint creation of 4I-GEP plans.

Development of 4I-GEP plans

In three years of intensive work, each institution conducted an audit of gender equality, developed adjusted road maps, and participated in a mentorship process, training and mutual learning. Thanks to the participatory approach, the final plans were adjusted with specific contexts of individual institutions and needs of the sport sector, and at the same time, they are adjusted with European guidelines for institutional changes.

Published 4I-GEP can now serve as an inspiration to other higher education institutions wishing to develop or improve their own inclusive plans of gender equality.

Project resources 

SUPPORTER has developed a number of useful resources for institutions and organizations wishing to start their path towards introducing gender equality in sport:

• Educative video materials – that enclose key terms and challenges related to gender based violence in academic surroundings, GEP as a tool for institutional changes, collecting and analyzing data on gender based violence in sport, and creating inclusive plans of gender equality..

• Recommendations – a set of four guidelines that emphasize the roles and contributions of trainers, universities and faculties of sport, as well as professors and lecturers in improving gender equality in sport.