‘Gender equality is more than a goal in itself. It is a precondition for meeting the challenge of reducing poverty, promoting sustainable development and building good governance” – (Kofi Annan - former Secretary-General of the United Nations).

Gender equality is a basic human right described as “all human beings are born equal”. It means that everyone, whether born as male, female or intersex, should be able to develop their full potential and live in freedom & dignity. In our societies, women officially & legally have the same rights as men, such as equal access to education, to mobility, equal chances on the job market & equal salaries. However, reality shows differently: violence against women & exposure to mobbing in labor life seems to be increasing; studies show that there is significant pay gap; current events show increased intolerance both in general & against women. And while girls are doing better in terms of academic performances at school, men still seem to hold the key positions in society. In Europe, far more women are living in poverty, due to lower chances on the job market & the pay gap but also to the fact that women are still more often considered to take responsibility for children e.g. in case of divorce. This situation existing in our societies is reflected in every day school life, resulting in a decrease in wellbeing, more conflicts & decreasing self-confidence for girls. Next to these problems we have in common, each school experiences additional issues related to this topic, e.g. 1) on average, digital competences are far less present among girls than among boys, while these skills are extremely important in nowadays school and work life. 2) There is a significant increase in migration in our societies, adding a challenge for our schools: to prepare students with migrant backgrounds towards equal opportunities, often complicated due to different cultural backgrounds and/or different opinions on gender related issues at home versus at school.

The project team strongly believes that investigating the history &current situation in Europe in general and on the job market, in a tight cooperation between students (16-19 yrs old) & teachers, will contribute to the awareness of the inequality that still exists. By a wide range of activities at a local level, different STE's with students and an international cooperation with a concrete and detailed phased plan, the aim is not only to raise awareness but also to educate towards the future. While women rights is the starting point for this project, it also focusses on a wider impact and broadens the subject: from 'rights for women' over 'doing right' for women and further to 'right' for all people, regardless of gender, background, etc. To tackle bullying, stereotypes & discrimination based upon gender and to address ethical standards in communication can lead to changing attitudes in general.

Doing so in an international context, will offer all participants the opportunity to learn on the subject in a wider context and broaden their view, as the situation is different in the different EU member states. At the same time international cooperation offers opportunities to increase personal competences, the knowledge on social, cultural & historical background of different EU partners, on democratic values. The world today changes quickly and demands a continuous adaptation and lifelong learning. It is the responsibility of schools to educate young people towards active & responsible citizenship and to train key competences, to become open minded and communicative members of society, with respect for all its participants. Schools can play an important role in promoting tolerance in general and gender equality, as well as critical thinking. International cooperation also leads to improved language skills, cooperative & communication skills. By cooperating with countries from all parts of Europe, studying the differences and similarities will result in learning from each other, not only on the current situation but also on the approach in our schools, thus leading to an exchange of good practices. This way, the project will not only benefit the students but also the teachers & school staff. At the same time, exploring this subject in an international context will increase motivation, promote active citizenship and will emphasize

the importance for students to continue their education, thus increasing their chances on the job market.

It is the aim of the project team to implement the project activities in the school curriculum e.g. in social sciences, ethics, history, psychology, language classes, etc. We are aiming for a lasting impact on the curriculum in our schools and a

wider impact in the local community and beyond, by disseminating the project activities and results. By creating a website showing the step-by-step approach, we hope to share an example for other schools/stakeholders.