DIFFERENZE 2.0-Eng

Experimental workshops on gender education in high school to prevent and combat violence against women

Duration:  n. 12 months –   6th June 2025 – 5th June 2026

 Location: The project has a National scope and take place in 7 Italian regions and as many cities: Basilicata (Potenza); Calabria (Castrovillari ); Campania (Naples); Emilia Romagna (Forlì); Puglia (Martina Franca - Uisp Valle D'Itria Committee); Sardinia (Nuoro); Sicily (Enna).

Applicant/Coordinator: UISP APS

 Funding body: Presidency of the Council of Ministers - Department for Equal Opportunities – Violence Announcement 2022

SUMMARY: DIFFERENCES 2.0 intends to capitalize on and further develop the good practice of the national DIFFERENCES project funded by the Ministry of Labor and Social Policies pursuant to Art.72/DL03-07-2017 and implemented by UISP in 2021-2022 financial year in partnership with the network of anti-violence centers DiRe – Donne contro la violenza.
The project is based on the observation that, despite the undeniable progress achieved in recent decades and the many steps taken by the international community to place the issue on the political agenda, the phenomenon of violence against women, is still dramatically present in today's world.
Behind this phenomenon of violent and abusive behavior towards women, as well as behind gender inequalities in general, there is a problem of a cultural nature.
In fact, in our society is deeply rooted a culture that defines the male and female characteristics and roles in society on the basis of gender prejudices and stereotypes, with a strong discriminatory effect against women.
DIFFERENCES 2.0 project therefore intends to propose educational paths in secondary schools and promote an information and awareness campaign aimed at the primary prevention of male violence against women through work to highlight gender stereotypes and promote a culture of respect between men and women.
Starting from the good practice of the previous edition, the aim is to re-propose the basic structure in 7 Italian cities, and at the same time to introduce new contents and new focuses, also in light of the needs that emerged among young people in the previous project, with the aim of strengthening and completing the information, awareness-raising and emergence of gender stereotypes that are at the origin of male violence against women. 

OBJECTIVES:
1) To prevent and combat all forms of male violence against women, physical, psychological, economic, injuries or abuse, abandonment, mistreatment or exploitation;
2) to promote, encourage and educate to inclusive language with the aim of removing sexism and misogyny from verbal relationships and relational culture;
3) to promote relationships based on the principle of substantial equality and equal rights between men and women;
4) to stimulate in young people a path of reflection, training and personal growth aimed at breaking down gender stereotypes
5) to promote the emersion of underestimated dimensions of the phenomenon (e.g. gender violence in sports, new forms of gender violence linked to web and social media such as Sexting, Revenge Porn, Trickery, Bullying, Cyberbullying, etc.);

 PROJECT ACTIONS:   
The project foresees the activation of 7 experimental laboratories of co-planning in secondary schools of as many Italian cities, where about 350 boys and girls (13-19 years) are involved in theoretical-practical meetings organized around 3 distinct moments:
1) training/didactic theoretical modules (meetings with experts and sector representatives),
2) practical modules (role-playing and sports activities)
3) self-managed communication and awareness campaign on the issue of gender-based violence (according to the peer education approach)

Direct stakeholders of the training action will also be the school world referents (school principals, teachers, ATA staff, psychologists and operators of the listening desks and bullying/cyberbullying referents present in the schools) and the operators and educators involved in the project.
The choice to work on languages, the body language and the communicative language of social media, is rooted in the awareness that a culture creates, maintains and transmits its stereotypes especially through languages, and to be able to dismantle them we must start from there.
Sport is put at the service of the path on body language (in particular oriental disciplines and body dialogue techniques): it is planned to use role-playing techniques and body  language as tools for reflection and personal growth, since they allow to deepen the knowledge of our own behaviour (with the emersion of deep-rooted stereotypes) and of our own body, of our own emotional and psychological resources.
The work on communicative language, on the other hand, is carried out through the involvement of young people in the management of a communication campaign on social channels, designed by young people for young people, on the issues of gender inequality and to foster relationships based on respect.
Furthermore, young people, always according to a peer to peer approach, are made protagonists through the taking charge and co-design of actions addressed to their peers and the territory (launch flash mobs, final street events).

 RESULTS:
The following results are expected from the implementation of the project:
1. Growth in the level of knowledge, information and awareness of 350 young participants on the issues of male violence against women; Empowerment of the participants;
2. Growth in the skills of project staff, operators, trainers, Uisp educators and third parties on the issues in question and on the techniques of working with the youth target (Role-playing techniques, body language, cooperative games, conducting communication campaigns on social channels)
3. Growth in the skills of school operators (teachers/managers/ATA staff, psychologists and operators of listening desks, bullying and cyberbullying referents) on the issue of male violence against women