Working to end school related gender based violence
Writings by representatives of education unions from Eastern, West and Southern Africa
The Education International (EI) initiative Education Unions take Action to End School Related Gender Based Violence, is part of more than 30 years of international advocacy to advance gender equality in education and in unions.
School Related Gender Based Violence (SRGBV) is violence that undermines the bodily integrity, human rights, and gender equality of all those involved in the school but primarily that of the school child.
In 2016, 7 teacher unions i.e. SADTU and NAPTOSA from South Africa, BETUZ and ZNUT from Zambia, UNATU from Uganda, ETA from Ethiopia and KNUT from Kenya and in 2018, SLTU from Sierra Leone, GTU from the Gambia and the staff from the Ghana-based Education International Regional Africa Office - actively engaged in a Gender at Work - Gender Action Learning Process (GAL).
The main aim of this specific GAL process was to create a participatory EI pilot program in Southern, East and West Africa focusing on individual teachers’ and teacher unions’ capacity to address SRGBV. With the support of Gender at Work facilitators, participants strengthened their understanding of gender inequality and gender based violence in the context of the school. Throughout the GAL Process participants spoke from their hearts, sharing inspirational stories of change.
