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Schools tackle sexist behaviour thanks to charity initiative

Words by Abi Scaife

London schools will now teach children to recognise (and address) sexist behaviour.

Sounds great! How does it work?

It’s all part of a new initiative with Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, who is investing £1million into an education toolkit designed to address violence against women and girls. He’s working with Tender, a charity that fights against domestic abuse and sexual violence through creative projects and education.

What does the programme look like?

Called ‘allyship training’, the educational toolkit focuses on teaching kids in the classroom, especially boys, how to recognise misogynistic behaviour in themselves and others, and then how to address it. The programme is all about building positive relationships with women and girls in their lives, preventing violence in the first place, as well as teaching people how to recognise and address the behaviours in others.

The new toolkit will be delivered by teachers and supported by trained workshop leaders from Tender, including online and in-person advice.

It sounds pretty progressive!

It is - schools are a great way for children and teenagers to learn how to interact with people in the wider world. Implementing these lessons in schools will, hopefully, allow kids to learn how to prevent violence against women and girls from an early age.

This article aligns with the UN SDG Gender Equality.

This article aligns with the following UN SDGs