Children learn to tackle stereotyping, bullying and gender based violence in new scheme

Martin and Mary McAleese spoke of the importance of parental reinforcement and engagement of children from a young age in order to "dismantle" learned stereotypes. File Picture

A new initiative educating schoolchildren on how to tackle gender stereotyping, bullying and violence has been hailed by former President Mary McAleese as the "best" resource to hit classrooms "in a very long time".

Ms McAleese and her husband, Dublin City University (DCU) chancellor Martin, spoke of the importance of parental reinforcement and engagement of children from a young age in order to "dismantle" learned stereotypes.

They were speaking at the launch of the Gender Equality Matters project, which aims to "raise awareness, build confidence and enhance capacity levels among children, adolescents, parents and educators in challenging attitudes and behaviours that undermine gender equality".

Led by Seline Keating from the National Anti-Bullying Research and Resource Centre at DCU’s Institute of Education, the project is funded by the EU in a five-country partnership.

Children in primary and post-primary school will learn from classroom materials available in English, Spanish, Greek, Italian, and Dutch. 

Among topics under discussion are rights and equality; gender stereotyping; gender based bullying and violence; and how they can make a difference. 

As a class, they will discuss people in the community that have made a difference and discuss the lives of influential leaders such as Greta Thunberg, John Hume, and Malala Yousafzai, organisers said.

Ms Keating said: "We’ve been piloting these materials with over 1,000 children in Irish, Spanish, Italian and Greek schools since 2019 and the feedback has been incredibly positive as no other resource of its kind has been available until now.”

In additions to the work being done in the classroom between teachers and pupils, the project also provides training to parents, both through the school and groups such as parents’ associations, and representative groups like the National Parents’ Council.

Mr McAleese said a  "tri-alogue" between parents, children and teachers was essential.

It was one thing for a child to learn about gender discrimination in the classroom, but if they were to come home only to have their enthusiasm for equality diminished by parental apathy, it would dilute the core message, he said.

Parents were "crucial partners" of the project, he added.

Ms McAleese said in her own experience, so much time and energy had been wasted as a youngster learning to be fearful and hate "the otherness of the others" in her wider community. 

It is essential for our children that they get the best education, the best formation growing up and for that, they need the best information. 

"Unfortunately, attitudes that carry things like gender inequality and prejudice go back generations. 

"My grandmother used to say what is learned in childhood is engraved in stone. With a child, we get one go."