This section provides users and readers of Gender Matters with additional useful information on a few topics which are likely to be raised in the discussion, especially in the debriefing, of the activities. They serve thus to prepare facilitators by resenting some essential information on five themes.

The choice of these themes was determined by their connection with the activities and by the fact that many of them are subject to controversy, often resulting from misunderstanding, if not outright misinformation. Each of them is indeed complex and the object of intense debate and opposing views among experts, scholars, activists and young people.

It is not the intention of this website to either limit or “fix” the debates to what is in this section. Instead, these pages should be seen as starting points or anchors for non-experts. We hope that they will inspire readers to seek more information, expand their knowledge and develop their own opinion and points of view.

The authors have endeavoured to be as neutral and factual as possible, an almost impossible aim as we all have our own experiences, views and preferences. The text should therefore be interpreted as a non-prescriptive proposal to learn more or to recall essentials.