Noor, we are not talking about sexual or sexual-affective education in high school, or even in middle school. But say educate children between the ages of 3 and 10 about gender equality. These are the ages at which the first representations of oneself and others are formed. These are the ages at which stereotypes about what is masculine and what is feminine take root. For this reason the first national course launched by Giulia Cecchettin Foundation together with the University of Florence it is aimed at teachers of nursery and primary schools, the teachers of reference in the most important phase of life for the construction of the identity and relational models of those who will be the adults of tomorrow.
Giulia Cecchettin Foundation launches the first course to educate children about gender equality
The project Educate about gender equality, from childhood, carried out in pilot form in Tuscany, Veneto and Puglia, it will officially begin on 21 March.
It is UNESCO that underlines how intervening already in nursery and primary school is crucial to counteract the early transmission of stereotypes and promote fairer relationships, and therefore eradicate the cultural roots that generate and fuel gender violence.
It is essential that Italian schools begin to engage on this front, especially considering that according to the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) our country is well below the European average in gender equality policies (in 2023 we had a score of 68.2 out of 100).
Why talk about equality between boys and girls to children
As Irene Biemmi, professor of gender pedagogy at the University of Florence and member of the Scientific Committee of the Giulia Cecchettin Foundation, explains, it is precisely “in nursery school and primary school that the imaginaries, words and first ideas about what ‘is up’ to boys and girls are formed”. Naturally, educating towards full citizenship, freedom and respect «does not mean talking about violence to young children, but building the cultural premises so that that violence no longer occurs. If violence is a cultural product – as decades of studies show – then it is in culture, and therefore also in school, that we must intervene.”
What does the teacher training course on gender equality involve and how to apply
The training course includes an online program, free and accredited pursuant to Law 170/2016. The training is divided into 4 modules for a total of 60 hours, including video lessons, self-study and intermediate and final tests. The activities are curated by and by the members of the Scientific Committee of the Giulia Cecchettin Foundation, together with other experts from the pedagogical, sociological, psychological and linguistic fields. Like Barbara Mapelli, Stefania Cavagnoli, Alberto Pellai, Lorenzo Gasparrini.
You can apply until March 8th 2026 exclusively by completing thespecific online form (until all places available for each of the regions involved are exhausted). The course will take place between May and October 2026 (at the end you will receive a certificate valid for the mandatory professional development).
Will be one expected blue quota reserved for male teachers, in order to promote the participation of men in training courses on gender culture. This is considering the female prevalence in the teaching staff of nursery and primary schools.
The contents of the Giulia Cecchettin Foundation course for nursery and primary school teachers
The contents of the course address some key issues for education today. The first module introduces the essential vocabulary related to gender, stereotypes, prejudices and discrimination, with an in-depth analysis on construction of masculinity and the cultural conditioning that influences girls and boys. We will talk about gender as a socio-cultural construct by addressing the nature/culture debate and we will try to disambiguate some labels such as “gender ideology”, “gender theory”, “gender education”.
The second module explores gender pedagogy andeducation on affectivity and sexualitywith particular attention to the stereotypes present in school knowledge and textbooks.
Languages, educational materials and models of representation: gender equality starts here
The third module offers operational tools for working on language, educational materials and representation models in cultural products intended for children. We will also talk about the many children’s books free from stereotypes and how adults can be “life coaches”, in a generative alliance between school and family.
The last module addresses the issue of gender violence, defines the different forms and clarifies the role of the school in prevention, with a specific focus on male awareness and on the cultural changes underway.
Orient the future
The project will be accompanied by a two-year research conducted by the University of Florencewhich will analyze the gender awareness of the teaching staff, the training needs and the skills developed during the course. The results will be collected in a report that will be presented publicly in 2028, with the aim of offering updated data useful for guiding future educational policies.
