Gender inequality and gender-based violence are still present in all societies worldwide, including in the member states of the Council of Europe. They remain widespread violations of human rights and human dignity. Achieving gender equality is not only a fundamental human right but also an essential foundation for building peaceful, prosperous, and sustainable societies. Providing women and girls with equal access to education, healthcare, employment, and political representation will fuel sustainable development and strengthen communities. To achieve this, it is crucial to implement effective legal frameworks, combat discriminatory practices, and promote gender-sensitive approaches in all aspects of social life. This project was designed to address these challenges specifically within the field of youth work, by empowering youth workers and organizations to promote gender equality and combat gender-based violence in their communities.

PROJECT PROGRAMME
The project EQUAL LIFE! The Role of Youth Workers in Increasing Gender Equality in Europe (Project No: 2020-2-MT01-KA105-074266) was implemented under the Erasmus+ Programme, Key Action 1 – Mobility of Youth Workers. The project had a total duration of 24 months, running from 1 September 2020 to 31 August 2022. The partnership included organizations from Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Portugal, Romania, and Spain. The Maltese partner, MaltaNow, was responsible for organizing the project’s main training activity.

PROJECT AIM
The aim of the project was to provide space and time for youth organizations working on gender issues to exchange good practices, enhance awareness of gender equality in youth work, and build skills, knowledge, and competencies for adopting a gender-sensitive approach to human rights education in their work and communities.

OBJECTIVES
The project aimed to develop participants’ knowledge and understanding of key gender-related concepts and the importance of gender equality in youth work. It also sought to deepen participants' understanding of the role of gender and equality in shaping youth work practices. The project intended to build the capacity of partner organizations to effectively address gender equality topics, train youth workers in gender awareness and anti-discriminatory practices, and improve networking and the exchange of best practices among youth workers at the grassroots level. Additionally, it aimed to encourage learning and dialogue around gender equality by comparing different realities across EU member states.

TARGET GROUP
The primary target group of the project was youth workers and members of youth organizations involved in promoting gender equality and human rights education. The project also supported partner organizations by equipping them with new knowledge, tools, and networks to adopt gender-sensitive approaches in their ongoing youth work activities.

PROJECT ACTIVITIES
The project delivered an intensive training programme featuring interactive sessions and workshops focused on key gender-related topics. These included the distinction between sex and gender, gender division of roles and activities, gendered behaviors and their consequences, gender stereotypes and their impacts, self-disclosure of gender roles, understanding discrimination and gender-based violence, myths about violence against women, international human rights instruments addressing gender-based violence, the role of traditional and modern media in shaping gender constructs, the influence of political, educational, and economic institutions, and strategies for changing gender stereotypes and promoting gender equality through youth work. The training also introduced participants to practical tools such as the “Wheel of Equality” to support their future work.