The CoP will foster cross-border collaboration, build stakeholder capacity, align protocols, promote survivor-centred tools, and advocate for legal and policy reforms. It will also support inclusive service delivery and digital safety through a secure, accessible online platform.

General overview of services required/results

• The Programme will improve the operationalization of existing referral protocols, ensuring that TF VAW is explicitly recognized and addressed across sectors. Particular attention will be given to addressing inconsistent and often ineffective coordination and response practices, especially in cross-border or multi-jurisdictional contexts. By focusing on these areas, the Programme aims to establish a more responsive and coordinated service system that can better protect women and girls from TF VAW.
• Following a call for proposals, UN Women will provide financial support (PA) to a CSO to, inter alia: establish and operationalize a regional Community of Practice (CoP) to facilitate coordination, knowledge exchange, and mutual learning among stakeholders involved in referral systems. The selected CSO/NGO will manage a structured platform that brings together practitioners and institutions—including government bodies, law enforcement, judiciary, cybercrime units, healthcare providers, and civil society actors, and digital platform companies — to improve the quality and coordination of offline and online services in response to TF VAW.
• The activity will enhance existing referral protocols to ensure TF VAW is recognized and addressed across sectors, focusing on improving coordination and response practices, especially in cross-border contexts. The CoP will support peer learning, alignment of referral protocols, development of survivor-centred tools, and inclusion of vulnerable groups in service delivery. It will also act as an enabling space for identify legal and policy reform needs, in direct synergy with broader advocacy efforts aimed at strengthening legal and policy frameworks. Through this, the CoP will help translate normative improvements into practical service-level changes and sustain cross-sectoral engagement over time.

Description of required services/results

• With a view to contributing to the strengthening of the capacities  of key stakeholders in the referral system, including government, policymakers, law enforcement officials, the judiciary, the health sector, and civil society organizations, media organizations, and regulators of digital platforms and social media, to provide quality, coordinated offline and digital services for survivors of violence including online and technology-facilitated violence, the selected responsible party/partner is expected to deliver the following services:

• Establishment and Maintenance of Collaborative Platforms: Establish and maintain a regional online platform to enable collaboration, information sharing, and peer exchange among stakeholders. Facilitate quarterly multisectoral meetings through organizing regular meetings of CoP members from across the Western Balkans to discuss and align on best practices and protocols.
• Capacity Building and Knowledge Sharing: Organize annual regional workshops to build capacity and share best practices across IPA beneficiaries. Develop a repository of protocols and tools, and training resources, including guidance on documenting TF VAW and safeguarding survivor data. Foster collaboration among CSOs through a structured regional platform to enhance referral mechanisms. Develop e‑learning modules on digital safety, AI‑generated abuse detection, and platform‑takedown procedures for frontline providers and cybercrime units.
• Mapping and Evaluation: Conduct regional mapping of referral pathways, including identifying promising practices, gaps, and areas for improvement in existing referral pathways and service models. Strengthen inter-institutional coordination through aligning local, national, and regional protocols with international standards to ensure cohesive and effective service delivery. Collect sex, age and disability‑disaggregated data on TF‑VAW and build an interactive dashboard tracking response times, evidence preservation actions and content‑takedown outcomes.
• Integration and Inclusion: Integrate cybercrime units into referral mechanisms by defining and formalizing the roles of cybercrime units in multisectoral mechanisms through consultation and integration into bylaws or protocols. Support inclusion of vulnerable groups through ensuring that referral services are designed to meet the needs of vulnerable and minoritized women, including those in rural areas, women with disabilities, and displaced women. Provide digital‑accessibility audits of online services and ensure sign‑language interpretation, captioning and low‑bandwidth options for remote users.
• Development of Tools and Protocols: Develop and disseminate data protection protocols and guidelines to accompany interventions focused on protecting women and girls from VAW. Assess and address the protection needs of women activists and frontline providers exposed to TF VAW. Design standard operating procedures for expedited cross‑border evidence preservation, AI deepfake verification and survivor‑centred risk‑assessment checklists.
• Governance and Institutionalization: Define community operating principles by establishing the governance structure and operating principles for the CoP based on desk reviews and qualitative research. Work towards integrating the CoP within national and regional coordination mechanisms to ensure sustainability. Adopt a CoP code of conduct, data‑governance policy and open‑source sustainability plan to guarantee continuity beyond project funding.

Funding Information

• The budget range for this proposal should be Min. 120,000.00 USD – Max. 135,000.00 USD.

Duration

• The project is expected to be carried out between September 2025 and May 2027, with a minimum duration of 12 months and a maximum duration of 18 months.

Outcomes

• The following outcomes are anticipated:
  • A functioning and participatory regional Community of Practice (CoP) on referral pathways is established and operationalized, bringing together multisectoral actors from across the Western Balkans, with at least 4 meetings held annually.
  • Improved knowledge exchange and peer learning among over 50 stakeholders, including representatives from government institutions, CSOs, cybercrime units, and frontline service providers.
  • A centralized and updated repository containing at least 10 protocols, guidelines, and tools aligned with international standards and tailored to the regional context, including specific guidance on TF VAW.
  • At least 5 national and regional protocols revised and aligned, increasing institutional capacities to coordinate and respond to TF VAW through strengthened multisectoral mechanisms.
  • Cybercrime units integrated into referral pathways in protocols of at least 3 IPA beneficiaries.
  • At least 120 stakeholders trained through CoP activities, including regional workshops, online learning sessions, and consultations, with training evaluations showing at least 80% satisfaction rate.

Competencies

• Technical/functional competencies required
  • Demonstrated organizational track record in promoting gender equality and women's rights, particularly in the area of ending violence against women and girls (EVAW), including technology-facilitated violence (TF VAW).
  • Proven experience in developing, coordinating, and implementing multisectoral referral mechanisms, policies, or protocols related to EVAW at local, national, or regional levels.
  • Demonstrated capacity to provide technical assistance and capacity development to diverse stakeholders including government institutions, CSOs, and service providers.
  • Strong background in facilitating multi-stakeholder dialogue and managing communities of practice or similar collaborative platforms.
  • Experience in coordinating multi-country programmes or initiatives in the Western Balkans, with a demonstrated ability to engage and maintain cooperation among a wide range of stakeholders.
  • Demonstrated ability to develop and disseminate knowledge products (e.g., protocols, training modules, tools) related to EVAW and TF VAW.
  • Organizational commitment to survivor-centred, rights-based, and intersectional approaches in programming and service delivery.
  • Expertise in digital safety, cybersecurity, and online‑platform governance as they relate to TF‑VAW response.
• Other competencies, which while not required, can be an asset for the performance of services
  • Established and active networks with relevant government entities, CSOs, cybercrime units, and regional/international actors engaged in EVAW.
  • Existing partnerships with digital‑platform regulators, media‑councils or technology companies operating in the Western Balkans.
  • Access to digital‑forensics expertise and tools for analysing online abuse patterns.
  • Demonstrated ability to collect and analyse intersectional, sex‑ and disability‑disaggregated data to inform evidence‑based advocacy.

For more information, visit UN Women.

https://eca.unwomen.org/en/programme-implementation/2025/07/unw-eca-ro-cfp-2025-1