Equipping boys with the skills to call out discrimination: learnings from two gender transformative programs in France and the UK

• In Event: Gender transformative education a catalyst for the next generation of male advocates for gender equality.

Proposal

Achieving gender equality is necessary for all. This initiative was launched in 2020 with the aims of supporting boys aged 4 to 13 and the adults in their lives with the resources they need to raise, teach, coach and set an example for boys to become men who embrace healthy forms of masculinity, can identify injustice and have the skills to challenge it.
As part of this initiative, two programs were developed with local partner organizations in the United Kingdom and in France. Both interventions seek to promote among boys and children of all genders: 1) learning about gender norms and how these affect their own lives, 2) explore equitable, inclusive and nonviolent attitudes, 3) develop skills to apply these in their lives and 4) become allies for gender and social justice. Although the programs focus on boyhood and masculinity, they were designed for mixed gender schools and therefore work through a relational lens by acknowledging that gender norms of masculinity are co-created, sustained and reinforced not only by boys themselves, but through the social interactions of all actors in a school setting. Through this approach, boys are also able to develop an understanding of the gendered experiences of others.
In the UK, two developmentally-appropriate curricula were designed for 7 to 11 year old children as part of their Person Social Health and Economic lessons in schools. 15 teachers were trained to deliver the program and around 45 other school staff received a half-day training on gender-transformative education and the curriculum. The curriculum was piloted in two state primary schools in South London and reached 373 children.
Inspired by the curricula from the UK as well as formative research, in France two developmentally-appropriate curricula were developed for 8 to 13 year olds. 4 facilitators were trained to deliver the 1 hour sessions per week during school hours. The program was implemented in three public schools in Paris, reaching 400 young people.
Findings from pilots include:
Some boys and girls applied the learnings to their social interactions: in the UK children challenged gender stereotypes in the playground and decided that both boys and girls should play football together.
It is important to engage teachers and other staff in gender transformative process: In the UK the program engaged staff in order to create a supportive and enabling environment for the teachers implementing the curricula. In France, the program was facilitated by external facilitators. During the sessions, some teachers intervened with authoritarian postures which made the environment tense and limited student’s willingness to share their experiences freely.
A safe climate needs to be embedded throughout the school setting: In the UK, teachers noted the importance of creating a safe environment for children to be able to share their personal experiences. In France, high levels of bullying and violence limited the implementation of the activities, especially among boys who actively rejected and at times sabotaged the activities. The feeling of being under attack in school reinforced masculine gender norms of “having to defend yourself”.

Author

• Giovana Lauro, Equimundo