EQUALITY
Empowering women and advancing equality: ENGSO participates in the GEIN project’s final conference in Tirana
On 15–16 October 2025, partners, experts, and stakeholders from across Europe gathered at the Sports University of Tirana for the final conference of the Gender Equality and Inclusion in Sport (GEIN – Equal Play, Equal Say) project. The event celebrated two years of international collaboration promoting equality, inclusion, and empowerment through sport.
ENGSO was represented by Equality Within Sport (EWS) committee chair Tarja Krum, who contributed as the project’s mentoring programs mentor and speaker at the event.
About the GEIN Project
The GEIN – Equal Play, Equal Say project aims to promote gender equality and inclusion in sport by addressing barriers that limit participation and leadership opportunities for women and underrepresented groups. Through research, mentoring, education, and innovation, the project has supported sports organisations to create fairer and more inclusive environments.
GEIN is an Erasmus+ Sport-funded initiative (1 January 2024 – 31 December 2025), coordinated by the South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences (Xamk).
The project’s core partners include University College Leuven (Belgium), Sports University of Tirana (Albania), the Albanian National Olympic Committee (NOC Albania), and the Kosovo Paralympic Committee.
Additional contributing partners include Etelä-Savon Liikunta ry, Mäntyharjun Virkistys ry, Finlands Svenska Idrott, Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences, and SUEK – Finnish Center for Integrity in Sports.
Throughout the project, partners have worked to raise awareness, build capacity, and establish a European mentoring network to support women’s leadership in sport. Among its key outputs are a new educational module on life skills, gender equality, and prevention of gender-based violence, and the creation of a sustainable mentoring model that will continue beyond the project’s lifetime.
Research and stories of empowerment
The final conference consisted of sharing project results, successes and learnings, research, lived experiences and the project’s future legacy.
Holtion Orhani from the Sports University of Tirana presented research findings from the All In Plus (joint EU-Council of Europe) and GEIN projects, showing how evidence and data can help advance gender equality in sport. He underlined that while awareness and policy have improved, many organisations still face challenges in putting equality into daily practice. The discussion highlighted how research and collaboration between universities, federations, and institutions can turn knowledge into action.
These insights were brought to life in the session “Women in Sport: Stories of Empowerment and Resilience.” Speakers shared personal perspectives from different levels of sport: from policy to grassroots. Rachele Menga from UN Women Albania spoke about national efforts to promote gender balance and women’s leadership in sport. Edith Zuschmann, CEO and President of 261 Fearless Inc., shared her inspiring story of perseverance and empowerment through running. Dorarta Koka, motivational speaker, and Prof. Assoc. Dr. Rigerta Selenica, lecturer and mentor at the Sports University of Tirana, reflected on leading with heart and motivating young women to stay in sport.
The voice of elite athlete and student Marinela Bici added a powerful message from the new generation of female athletes in Albania.
Together, these stories illustrated how lived experiences confirm what research shows. That visibility, mentorship, and supportive networks are vital to creating truly equal opportunities in sport.
The piloted mentoring programme will continue within ENGSO EWS
ENGSO EWS Chair Tarja Krum presented “Advancing Gender Equality in European Sport,” exploring how norms and unconscious bias influence leadership and participation. She encouraged participants to reflect on everyday actions that shape inclusion and to consider how individual behaviour contributes to wider cultural change.
The presentation concluded with inspiring news, that the mentoring programme piloted within GEIN will continue its journey and be adapted within the ENGSO EWS network. The next phase will focus on supporting key individuals within European sports organisations who promote gender equality in their environments.
The mentoring programme has been one of the core results of the project. Mentors from the project also shared reflections on the importance of trust, empathy, and shared learning in building confidence and sustainable empowerment.
Building a lasting legacy
The GEIN – Equal Play, Equal Say project has created a strong foundation for cooperation between universities, sports organisations, and equality advocates. ENGSO congratulates the project team and its project partners for their outstanding contribution to advancing gender equality in sport. Together, they have shown how shared learning, mentorship, and innovation can make European sport more equal, inclusive, and inspiring for all.