To ensure a long-term approach to violence prevention and to the promotion of gender equality, also teachers and school managements need to be involved. School shall be a place free from violations/harassments and discrimination. Teachers have a big responsibility since they meet the students on a regular and long-term basis; they see how the students feel and how they treat each other. To work against sexual harassment and to make sure that no student is discriminated against, not in the classroom or anywhere else in school, teachers, headmasters and welfare teams in schools need competence and high level of awareness about gender issues and norms, as well as about their students’ reality when it comes to gender equality and sexuality.
The Åland Islands Peace Institute’s teacher training in Fair Sex aims to equip teachers and schools with tools to discover, deal with and prevent sexual violence and harassment. The basis of this work forms discussions about gender and norms, about the staffs’ own experience and their visions for their school. In 2012, Fair Sex trainings was held with teachers and headmasters from all Ålandic first and secondary schools. During 2013, the Ålandic secondary schools are offered guidance to develop and improve gender equality plans.
