Fawcett Society letter: Joint letter calling for early intervention on gender stereotyping

The Fawcett Society and Lifting Limits have led a joint letter to the Secretary of State for Education, Gavin Williamson MP, calling for early intervention on gender stereotypes. The letter was signed by a group of organisations and individuals working in the fields of gender equality, violence against women and education, who are acutely aware of the violence and harassment that many women and girls face on a daily basis. The link between gender stereotyping and a range of unequal and unacceptable outcomes, including male violence against women and girls, is clear and established.

In recent months, the spotlight on sexual harassment and sexual violence in schools confirms pre-existing evidence showing these to be prolific. These outcomes are deeply unfair to all children.  

A full roll out of the new Relationships and Sex Education curriculum in summer 2021 must be prioritised, with no further delays. However, in order for schools to be part of the systemic response, all those bodies with responsibility for the content, quality and delivery of children’s education have a role to play. We therefore call on the Government to implement the following as a matter of urgency:

  • Make actively challenging gender stereotypes integral to 0-11s education practice.
  • To work constructively with experts, the specialist women’s support sector, the education profession and organisations in the field of gender equality in education to ensure that the necessary resources and training are made available to schools, building on the existing research and small-scale work already happening with proven impact and providing funding for this work.

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