By: Michael Kofi Kenetey
The Atiwa East District Education Directorate in connection with the Family Strengthening Programme under the auspices of SOS Children’s Villages, Asiakwa has organized a gender equality awareness training for pupils in New Jejeti and Adasawase in the Atiwa East District of the Eastern Region.
The training session is focused on enhancing gender equality awareness among pupils at the basic.
During the training, the Atiwa East District School Health Education Programme Coordinator, Simon Kwame Osabutey urged society to encourage equal opportunities for leadership roles and academic success and also demand establishment of policies that will prevent and address gender-based discrimination.
The training is to expose the pupils to the fundamental concepts of gender equality, expand their understanding of gender roles, and promote gender equity within the educational environment.
The Facilitator of the training who is the Atiwa East District School Health Education Programme, Coordinator, Simon Kwame Osabutey explained the difference between gender and sex adding that gender pertains to the roles, behaviours, and activities that society deems suitable for men and women, whereas sex refers to the biological distinctions between males and females.
Mr. Osabutey described the various gender roles and norms traditionally assigned to each sex such as sweeping, washing of utensils, cooking, fetching of water among others, emphasizing that these roles are socially constructed and can differ across different cultures and societies.
He explained gender stereotype as generalized beliefs or expectations regarding the characteristics and behaviours of men and women while gender bias refers to the unequal treatment or preference for one gender over the other.
Mr Osabutey described gender inequality as the unequal distribution of status, power, and opportunities between men and women in society. He advised the pupils to desist from such behaviours and see every gender as equal.
Mr. Osabutey proposed practical approaches to fostering gender equity in educational environments including promoting equal participation in all school activities, and addressing and challenging gender stereotypes during classroom interactions.
The Child Protection, Education and Health Officer of the Family Strengthening Programme of SOS Children’s Villages, Asiakwa, Adwoa Afriyie Jantuah noted that SOS Children’s Villages, Asiakwa deem it fit to educate young minds on the importance of gender equality and the need to respect both gender from an early age.
She reiterated that SOS Children’s Villages seeks to empower pupils with the knowledge of gender balance and inclusivity and help build a foundation for more equitable society.
At Adasawase, 205 pupils participated in the training comprising 108 males and 97 females while at New Jejeti, 165 pupils participated comprising 96 females and 69 males.
