The Council of Europe’s Sport Division is looking for international experts to support the implementation of the joint project “Active and Equal: Women’s Health in Sport Across Generations”, co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe and implemented by the Council of Europe’s Sport Division from 1 January 2026 to 31 December 2027. This project aims to close the gender gap in sport participation by addressing the health-related barriers that women practicing sports face during each stage of their life.
The growing visibility of women and girls in European sports has to be matched by systems that recognise the health realities that shape their participation across the lifecycle. Menstruation and puberty in adolescence, pregnancy and return-to-sport, peri/menopause and ageing are to be treated as standard design parameters in policy, programme design, coaching or facilities to prevent drop-out, increase retention and equal access to the health and social benefits of sport.
The project activities are implemented in six countries: Austria, France, Iceland, Italy, Slovenia and Spain, and will turn existing commitments into practical, measurable behavioural changes.
Several activities are planned to achieve this objective, ranging from country-specific needs assessments to the design of educational materials and the delivery of capacity-building training seminars.
To this effect, the Council of Europe is looking for international providers to design and perform these activities, with a call for tenders divided into three lots:
- Lot 1: Research and analysis regarding the existing legislation, physiological, psychological and social barriers affecting women’s participation in sport (during adolescence, maternity, menopause and older age), including policy proposals, a standardised glossary, and guidelines.
- Lot 2: Design and delivery of training materials, tailored guidance, awareness-raising and capacity-building activities such as training of trainers for sport and health professionals. These materials and guidance will constitute a modular Womens’ Health in Sport Training Toolkit to be used and replicated at the national and local level.
- Lot 3: Design and delivery of a specialized training module and tailored guidance for media professionals and sports journalists to improve the accuracy and sensitivity of reporting on women's health in sport.
The Council of Europe will select a maximum of three providers per lot. Selected providers shall have a university degree and at least 7 years of proven professional experience in sports health, human rights, or gender-specific policies, alongside specific thematic expertise in women's health in sport.
Tenderers are invited to indicate which lot(s) they are tendering for in the Act of Engagement.
The related information and procurement procedures to follow are detailed in the following link: Calls for tenders - Organisation
Should you be interested in participating in this tender, please register and submit a complete proposal strictly via the Council of Europe's official e-procurement platform by 27 August 2026 (16:00 – Strasbourg time). Offers sent by email or post will be automatically rejected.
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