Terms of Reference (ToR)

Published on June 5, 2025

Position: Consultant for development of methodology on deconstructing gender stereotypes and anti-discrimination in sports

Commissioned by: NGO Atina – Citizens’ Association for Combating Human Trafficking and All Forms of Gender-Based Violence

Supported by: Swedish Postcode Lottery Foundation 

Location: Field-based and remote (hybrid)

Duration: 20 expert days

Start Date: June 20, 2025

Deadline for Final Deliverable: July 21, 2025

Reporting to: Programme Manager, NGO Atina

1. Background

NGO Atina is implementing the project: "Strong Alone, Unstoppable Together – Building Solidarity through Sport among Young People from Diverse Backgrounds to Make a Stand for Social Justice." This initiative addresses the pressing need to foster inclusion, equality, and resilience among young people in Serbia through sport. It uses sport as a tool for unity, learning, and empowerment—especially for marginalized groups including ethnic minorities, migrants, refugees, and socially vulnerable youth. The project will take place across Serbia, with a focus on mixed and underrepresented communities in the south (including Albanian, Bosniak, Serbian, and Roma populations) and urban centers like Belgrade, Subotica, and Preševo that host refugee and migrant populations. Activities will be conducted in schools, sports clubs, and local community centers. The target group includes youth aged 14–24 from diverse ethnic, socioeconomic, migrant, and refugee backgrounds. Outreach will be done in collaboration with schools, local NGOs, and sports clubs, supported by social media campaigns and local leadership engagement.

This project addresses the urgent need for greater social inclusion among youth in Serbia, particularly those from multi-ethnic, under-resourced, and migrant communities. Faced with ongoing social fragmentation, gender-based violence, and human trafficking, many young people lack safe and empowering spaces. By using sport as a unifying platform, the project seeks to challenge harmful gender norms, promote peer solidarity, and provide avenues for leadership and personal development. Through a combination of education, capacity building, and participatory engagement, the initiative empowers youth to become active agents of change in their communities—advocating for gender equality, social justice, and violence prevention.

Key activities include “Sport for Solidarity” tournaments that blend inclusive sports events with workshops on gender and human rights; leadership workshops that train youth in advocacy and public speaking; campaigns led by youth to promote anti-violence messages through community and online platforms; and educational sessions that integrate safety and consent education into sports practices. The project aims to engage 500 youth participants, host 10 tournaments, 20 workshops, and 15 campaigns, and reach over 5,000 people. Qualitative outcomes include strengthened youth leadership, increased awareness of gender-based violence and trafficking, and enhanced social cohesion across communities. In the short term, the project will foster empathy and confidence; in the long term, it will contribute to a more inclusive and equitable society. Its impact will be monitored through surveys, feedback, and campaign tracking. The project directly supports SDG 5 (Gender Equality), and also contributes to SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions).

2. Purpose of the Assignment

To develop a comprehensive, participatory, and youth-friendly methodology that deconstructs gender stereotypes and promotes anti-discrimination practices through sports. The methodology will be used in educational and community-based activities that build leadership, inclusion, and solidarity.

3. Key Responsibilities

The Consultant will:

• Conduct a desk review of relevant resources on gender and anti-discrimination in sports-based education.

• Design an interactive methodology tailored to youth (14–24), including:

• Conceptual frameworks on gender equality and inclusion

• Sport-based learning and participatory activities

• Guidelines for facilitation, adaptation, and local implementation

• Monitoring tools and reflection exercises

• Collaborate with NGO Atina's team to ensure contextual relevance.

• Submit the final deliverable in an editable format by July 21, 2025.

• Deliverable and Timeline

• BUDGET
   NGO Atina will negotiate a number of days of engagement with the selected expert based on the financial offer (gross amount) that will classify the following:

*Add columns as needed depending on the number of activities necessary to perform the assignment

            Subtotal                                               RSD__________

            Other costs (specify)                          RSD__________

            TOTAL                                               RSD__________

The total cost should cover all preparatory work regarding the job description and communication costs between the Project team, experts, and organizations (e-mail, telephone, fax, mail).

6. SELECTION CRITERIA

The project team will decide on the selection of the most successful bidder, subject to the available budget, on the following four criteria:

• University degree in the relevant field;

• A minimum of 5 years of relevant experience;

• Experience of the candidate in performing similar projects or programs;

• An example of previous work as a reference to previous experience is desirable.

Selection Criteria:

6. Application Requirements:

Applicants must submit:

• CV (or company profile)

• Technical proposal (max 3 pages)

• Financial proposal in RSD (inclusive of taxes and expenses)

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF BID

All bids need to be submitted no later than June 16, 2025 at 5 PM electronically to the email jelena.hrnjak@atina.org.rs
A selection will be made by June 18, 2025 and the selected consultant will be contracted by June 19, 2025. Only the selected candidate will be informed.