ITALY – Poster – Practices against stereotypes
WHERE
Italy
WHEN
June 2023 – May 2026
BACKGROUND
In Italy, gender stereotypes and expectations still influence people’s lives, limiting their choices, preventing them to fully enjoy their rights, denying them access to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), and ultimately fueling gender-based violence (GBV). Even though a large portion of the population declares to be in favor of gender equality, many think that it has already been achieved, condone the forms of GBV considered as “lesser” and are unaware of their own gender bias. Media and education professionals and young people are often unaware of their own unconscious gender bias and/or don’t dispose of the necessary tools to address gender barriers, therefore contributing to the perpetuation of the status quo. Furthermore, established NGOs often lack a gender approach while committed grassroots associations need to reinforce their advocacy, management and communication skills to make their work more impactful.
GOAL
The project aims to contribute to promote gender equality, by making civil society stronger in Italy, and by addressing gender stereotypes with institutions, professionals and young people.
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
1. To strengthen civil society by improving the capacities of feminist grassroots organizations, and by increasing the awareness and knowledge of generalist NGOs’ staff on gender stereotypes.
2. To increase the awareness and knowledge of professionals of media and education on gender stereotypes and their impact.
3. To raise the awareness of general public and young people through a campaign and festival to showcase best practices from the project.
4. To advocate towards Italian institutions on gender stereotypes and their impact and advise them on how to address them in the context of education.
ACTIVITIES
– Strengthening civil society through: sub-granting and capacity building of grassroots organizations, advocating for SRHR, women and LGBTQIA+ rights; strengthening the operational capacity of AIDOS through development of strategic priorities and subsequent actions; workshops for staff of NGOs on gender stereotypes and their impact, how to promote gender equality in the workplace and how to implement projects with a gender approach.
– Workshops for media students and professionals, teachers and educators on gender stereotypes and their impact and specifically on how to report on gender issues, how to overcome gender stereotypes in education.
– Awareness raising and communication through: the development of 1 short brochure for media professionals on how to report on gender issues; information and sensitization activities in schools and universities on gender equality, sexual education, positive masculinity, etc.; a campaign and a festival showcasing best practices from the project and beyond in a mutual learning and networking perspective.
– Production and dissemination of 1 policy brief on gender stereotypes in education to sensitize Italian MPs, institutional/regional representatives and civil servants and advocacy actions implemented in partnership with feminist grassroot organizations and formal and informal networks of CSOs on gender stereotypes and their impact.
COST OF THE PROJECT
1.022.864
WHO IS FINANCING THE PROJECT
Private donor