Teaching for a more inclusive future

Promoting a vision of gender-equal education benefits not only individuals but also societies, encouraging equity and innovation and reinforcing social progress. A number of European projects are working to bring this vision to life by trying to build education systems free of gender stereotypes.

Gender stereotypes in media culture

How do media affect pupils’ understanding of gender?

Teachers from Belgium, Italy, Greece and Romania explored this question in the e-Media Education about Representations of GEnder (eMERGE) project, co-financed by the Erasmus+ programme. They carried out classroom activities that helped pupils to critically analyse and question gender stereotypes in media and popular culture.

The project’s toolkit offers 9 ready-to-use lesson plans for secondary schools that are adaptable across subjects.

For example, in the ‘Sexist, the ads? Campaigning with posters against sexism’ activity, pupils studied advertising, identified gender stereotypes and designed poster campaigns to challenge sexism.

The project raised awareness about the media’s influence on gender perceptions through practical resources available in all partner languages. 

• A methodological kit for teachers to survey and analyse pupil media habits
• Online self-training modules on gender and media literacy
• Recommendations for teachers for using media education to promote gender equality in schools

I use media education on a daily basis to help students reflect on what they 'consume' in the media as discriminating stereotypes.

— College teacher from Belgium, involved in the eMerge project

Art, culture and empathy in the classroom

The EU’s Rights, Equality and Citizenship Programme (Ed.G.E.) project uses art and culture to address gender-based violence (GBV) and promote gender equality.

Through creative activities like storytelling, art-based games and museum visits, children and young people learn to reflect and build empathy through respectful discussion. During brainstorming sessions, pupils were encouraged to define terms like gender equality or discrimination, explore related issues and suggest solutions.

Applied theatre offered them a chance to creatively step into different life situations, helping them understand others’ experiences and empowering them to contribute to a more egalitarian and inclusive future. Resources like the All aboard! comic book helped them question and challenge gender stereotypes through the use of powerful storytelling.

The project's educational approach is based on three interconnected areas:

Key outputs include a culture-based methodology, a guide with creative practices (role-play, debates, gamification) and a manual for teachers for integrating gender equality themes into everyday teaching.

Teachers and parents united against discrimination

The Free from Gender Based Discrimination: Teachers & Parents Together project targets gender-based discrimination in educational settings, with a focus on improving school performance and eliminating early school leaving. It promotes strong cooperation between teachers and parents as a foundation for trust, better communication and positive educational reforms.

The project offers a training programme and handbook to help teachers identify and respond to discrimination and guide parent-teacher cooperation with practical advice.

Tips for parental involvement include:

• Participating in leadership positions in schools
• Understanding school complaint mechanisms
• Watching out for key signs of bullying (e.g. hesitation to go to school, increased anxiety, sadness)
• Keeping up to date with school rules, guidance and polices
• Early intervention

Practical classroom strategies and school policy recommendations aim to ensure lasting change in terms of gender equity, and a presentation on sex and gender terminology gives teachers practical examples for fostering inclusive communication in the classroom.

Challenging stereotypes through language

Language plays an important role in how we see the world. By using inclusive language, teachers can help pupils become more aware of gender issues and create a fairer classroom.

The Tackle Gender Stereotypes with youth and professionals in the field of communication and advertising (TAGS) project encourages the use of language free from gender stereotypes across schools, businesses and public authorities. Training activities help participants identify and deconstruct stereotypes in everyday communication.

Its teachers' guide contains inclusive teaching techniques, tools and thematic activities to encourage learners to reflect on gender bias. Other outputs include a student guide and guidelines for social and institutional communication, available in English and Italian.

Empowering girls' skills for the future

The Girls Go Circular initiative, part of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), equips girls (aged 14–19 years) with digital, green and entrepreneurial skills via a gamified online platform. With 18 modules in 24 languages, it covers AI, robotics, circular economy and more.

For 2025, the initiative aims to expand into initial vocational education and training, to ensure that vocational learners gain digital and sustainability skills that prepare them for the evolving job market.

Teachers can explore a dedicated guidebook and become project ambassadors who help to involve more schools in the Girls Go Circular movement.

Do you want to discover more ongoing and past EU-funded projects in school or vocational education? Go to the Erasmus+ Project Results Platform to find inspiring good practice examples and many more.