How do we achieve Gender Equality and empower all women and girls? 

Let’s take action to make a positive change today for a better future, improving equality for women throughout the world. 

These lessons will support teachers on developing learning and conversations about ‘Gender Equality and Women’ in Citizenship or PSHE lessons.

The focus of the lessons is on Sustainable Development Goal 5. The aim is to work towards achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls. The lessons offer reliable and accurate facts that will build knowledge and help pupils reflect on how they may be contributing to the problem and how they could be part of the solution.

The lessons provide opportunities for activities to take place in an inclusive and safe environment. These lessons start from the pupils’ own point of view and gives them an opportunity to discuss issues around gender identity, gender norms, gender equality and gender discrimination. Pupils are encouraged to explore their own perceptions around the topic and understand how the issues relate to their own situation. Learning activities will enable them to develop their critical thinking skills, to help them address gender inequality in the future.

Consequently, they should start to understand the human consequences of discrimination and the immediate need for the world to take action on SDG5.

Areas looked at in the lessons include:

• Key definitions around gender identity and gender norms
• Global patterns of gender inequality and the impact this has on women’s lives around the world
• The protest methods used by the Suffragettes in the fight to gain the vote for women
• The importance of educating girls to reduce global poverty
• The role of Malala in campaigning for the right of girls to get an education
• Gender disparities in the British Workplace, an examination of British Equality Legislation
• The work of an MP – looking at the life of Jo Cox and understanding the value of participating in decision making both in the workplace and in politics

Case studies are used so that pupils can get a feel for the experiences of others.

To support pupils’ learning there are a number of detailed case studies used as part of the lessons. These include examining the impact of the Suffragettes, Malala and the work of the murdered MP Jo Cox.

Key ideas explored:

This unit will help pupils explore the moral and ethical choices we make each day around Gender Equality.

Lessons look at pay discrimination in the work place, the impact of gender related violence and the need for girls and women to participate in decision making at all levels and step into leadership roles. Resources are topical and can be developed and updated as things occur in the news or within pupils’ experiences.

Download your free Gender and Women summary document here!