Gender equality and youth
Gender equality has been a concern for the youth sector of the Council of Europe ever since its creation The promotion of gender equality and combating any form of gender-based discrimination or gender inequality are at the heart of the Youth for Democracy programme of the Council of Europe. Youth organisations, in particular, have consistently contributed to keep theme up to date in the programme of activities of the European Youth Centres.
Gender equality is also present in the most popular educational resources of the Youth Department such as Compass, Compasito, Bookmarks and Mosaic. Sexist hate speech has been one of the most mobilising issues in the “No Hate Speech Movement” campaign. These are among the best examples educational resources and action for gender equality with young people.
The Youth Department also encourages and supports its governmental and non-governmental partners to include a gender equality dimension in their activities. The Gender Impact Assessment of the Youth for Democracy programme and the Guidelines on Gender Equality in Intercultural Youth Activities contain various recommendations and proposals that are relevant to anyone in youth work and non-formal education.
The programme also supports the implementation of the Council of Europe Gender Equality Strategy 2018-2023.
Gender Matters Revised edition is now available !
Gender Matters was first published in 2007, within the Human Rights Education Youth Programme of the Council of Europe. It followed and built on Compass, the popular manual on human rights education with young people and Compasito. Both of these publications make reference to issues of gender, gender equality and gender-based violence.
Gender Matters has been used as an educational resource in numerous educational activities run at the European Youth Centres in Strasbourg and Budapest. Translated into several languages, the manual has reached youth groups and youth organisations across Europe, supporting work against the gender-based violence.The growing awareness of gender inequality and gender-based violence as obstacles to the full participation and development of young people needs to be accompanied by up-to-date and accessible educational resources.
Gender Matters is an important resource in support of the Council of Europe youth sector strategy 2030 and the Youth for Democracy programme, notably regarding young people’s access to rights, human rights education and combating all forms of discrimination with an intersectional approach.
This manual is also useful for pursuing the UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 5 on Gender Equality, and the Council of Europe’s Gender Equality Strategy.
You can order Gender Matters on the online Council of Europe bookshop.
Consult Gender Matters website!
