Awareness sessions on gender-based violence with teachers and students from the Digital skills project

As the world turned orange in solidarity with the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) campaign, the Digital Skills for Quality TVET project took several initiatives to raise awareness at the schools it supports. 

Since this year’s campaign was themed, “UNiTE to End Digital Violence Against All Women and Girls”, and given the project’s objective of strengthening the digital skills of teachers and students, it was particularly relevant to create a space for discussions on GBV, and especially technology-facilitated GBV (TFGBV), as well as other forms of online violence. 

By combining awareness-raising activities with teachers and engaging the youth in discussions, the project is helping to create learning environments in which safety, respect, and dignity are non-negotiable (both on- and offline).

The project hosted a two-day awareness session on gender-related themes for teachers from its eleven partner schools. Each school nominated two teachers, including one citizenship teacher, to serve as gender focal points.

The first day introduced key gender concepts, national frameworks, and the roles and responsibilities of the ender focal points in schools. Participants explored GBV and TFGBV, along with their different forms, and learned about the 16 Days of Activism campaign against GBV. Teachers brainstormed on awareness activities for their schools, participated in role-play activities, and collectively drafted a note to present at the student assembly in their respective schools.

The second day focused on gender stereotypes in education and the use of gender-responsive pedagogical approaches and language in the classroom. 

On 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, and the days that followed, the teachers organised a talk on gender equality and GBV during the morning student assembly.

During a Citizenship class on the topic of human rights at Rugando and Kanyinya Technical Secondary Schools, teachers organised a session on GBV. They began with key gender concepts (gender, sex, gender equality and gender equity) and then presented GBV and its different forms and consequences taking place both physically and online.

Towards the end of the session, each student wrote a personal commitment to preventing GBV on a coloured piece of paper. These messages were combined into a 'Say NO to GBV” poster, displayed at the back of the classroom as a daily reminder to treat each other with respect, speak out against GBV, and seek support when needed. 

The Digital skills for quality TVET project aims to enhance Rwanda’s TVET system by integrating digital technologies and adopting blended learning, which combines classroom and online instruction to improve learning quality and digital skills. It is funded by the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and implemented by LuxDev, the Luxembourg Development Cooperation Agency.