Gender Equity & Women’s Leadership
Women’s Secretariats and gender equity-seeking groups within partner organizations develop and implement various learning opportunities for women present in the different governance structures to ensure greater and better participation and encourage the political scope of gender equality in their countries. An essential element of gender equity and women’s leadership training is to equip leaders with the tools and accompaniment to be elected and succeed in director positions. It also provides experience in safe spaces and the skills to further social justice in their communities by becoming involved in issues of national or regional concern, such as the prevention of violence against girls and women. Training and leadership initiatives are grounded in empowerment and sharing knowledge by other leaders from the past and present, recognizing the need to exercise sorority and uphold the rights of women and girls.
The Costa Rican Education Workers’ Union – SEC is a national organization that promotes the labour rights of education workers, and actively participates in defining strategies to influence public policies in education and other areas of national interest.
A CoDev partner since 1995, SEC and the Women’s Secretariat have taken on a process for greater integration of women teachers in the different organizational levels, creating local and regional committees, an internal gender equity policy and offering quality training to its members. Educational materials such as the “Central American Teaching Guide in Non-Sexist and Inclusive Pedagogy (NSIP)” and the Costa Rican NSIP textbook “Ourselves in family, in school and in community” are often used during community outreach and organizing.
Currently SEC is developing seminars and workshops in Human Rights from a gender-sensitive perspective, denouncing harassment and discrimination in the workplace, and increasing members´ knowledge of the internal, national and international mechanisms to eradicate violence against girls and women.
Canadian partners: BCTF
The Peruvian Education Workers’ Union – SUTEP is a national organization dedicated to defending education workers’ rights, to increase awareness of issues of national interest, and increase citizen participation in decision-making spaces, accountability and oversight.
A partner since 1985, SUTEP and the Women’s Secretariat develop women’s leadership training in different macro regions across the country and participates in national and international campaigns for the eradication of violence against girls and women. It has been successful in creating local and regional committees, establishing an internal gender equity policy and increasing the number of women in decision-making spaces such as the National Executive Committee.
Currently SUTEP implements actions to defend the gender equity approach in public schools, and create alliances to defend this approach in the National Curriculum. National Encounters of women teachers serve to exchange experiences, increase teachers’ self-esteem and analyze national issues from a gender-sensitive perspective.
Canadian partners: BCTF