Gender Training in School

Gender Sensitization Training at Ambedkar Nagar

On 4th January, CSR, in collaboration with Nanakpura Police Station, organized a Gender Sensitization Training at Ambedkar Nagar. It had over 700 boys in participation from several schools in the area. The training was facilitated by Ms Pratishtha Arora and Ms Smriti Sharma from CSR.

Gender Training in School

The focus of this training was to familiarize the boys with key issues of Gender Sensitization. Before the training began, we had a discussion with the SHO of Ambedkar Nagar regarding the increasing crime rate in the area. Issues of domestic violence, eve teasing, theft, murder, etc were highly common as mentioned by police personnel, who further emphasized that these boys specifically need to be well versed with issues of gender based violence.

Gender Training in School

During the training, when a discussion on the issue of dowry took place, many boys justified their stance by arguing that if during their sister’s marriage they gave the boy’s family a handsome dowry, they were entitled to do the same at the time of their marriage. In response, it was illustrated that asking for as well as giving dowry is a legal offence and should not be propagated in any manner.

The training raised the significance of appropriate behavioral patterns as a mechanism to curb gender violence. It was felt that only when they learn how to ‘behave’ with the opposite sex and other fellow beings, will there be a decrease in against women. Only when this happens, the apprehension around their mother, sister, etc being outside the house after a particular time period shall also decrease. The purpose of discussing the issue of crime amongst youth was to identify them as ‘agents of change’, possessing the power and ability to change themselves, their immediate surroundings and the world. Moreover, this will also enable them in questioning and altering the ‘gender stereotypes’ that have been formed in their minds regarding the gender roles and relationships in the society.

The training was an overall success, and the participants and facilitators felt that with more follow up sessions, gender sensitivity could be a reality.


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