Gender equality matters

A precious “GEM” to tackle gender inequality through a whole-school community educational programme

Bibliographic Data

ID7152508
AuthorsSeline Keating (0000-0002-9804-3847, Dublin City University, corresponding author), Catherine R Baker (0000-0003-3838-0937, Dublin City University)
Year2025
Volume77
Issue3
Pages710-730
Publication date2025-04-16
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueEducational Review (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0013-1911 • E-ISSN: 1465-3397
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/00131911.2023.2224939
OpenAlexW4383955152
LanguageEN
Citations received7
References cited46

This paper analyses the efficacy of the Gender Equality Matters (GEM) educational programme in raising awareness, building confidence, and enhancing capacity levels among children to tackle gender stereotyping, gender-based bullying and gender-based violence (GBV). While many primary schools are open to engaging children in the aforementioned topics, current literature perceives the lack of age-appropriate classroom materials, curriculum overload, and specific training for both parents and teachers, as existing barriers. GEM is an EU-funded project, including over 2,500 participants across five partner countries (Ireland, Spain, Italy, The Netherlands, Greece). This paper focuses on the children who participated in this study in the Irish primary school context (aged 10–13 years old). Pre- and post-questionnaires, semi-structured focus groups, visual cues, and lesson evaluations were utilised to gain an insight into the effectiveness of the GEM programme on this target group (n = 693). Post participation findings indicate that pupils reported a better understanding of gender equality relevant terminology, and increased confidence levels were they to be a victim of, or witness to, gender stereotyping, gender-based bullying and GBV. Overall, the findings suggest a need for primary school education programmes on the above topics. Although there have been many efforts to promote gender equality, including legislative and policy changes, our findings highlight the positive and enduring role of whole-school community educational programmes, like GEM, to instil societal change, to inspire and empower at both national and global levels

Context (archaeology) · Curriculum · Focus group · Gender equality · Geography · Inequality · Irish · Medical education · Pedagogy · Political science · Sociology · Witness · Gender Politics and Representation · Gender Roles and Identity Studies · Gender Studies · Intimate Partner and Family Violence · Medicine · Psychology

Tools

Open DOIOpen Access