The education system on all levels is an important institution for reinforcing and internalizing gender differences and inequality in society. In addition to teachers’ direct and hidden attitudes which influence children, there exist densely integrated structural factors, such as the curriculum and textbooks, despite the fact that equal opportunities for all are written into the laws. Gender questions in the education system are important, because of their direct impact on students’ educational and social experiences which, in turn, have an effect on their future behaviour and life.
Since reinforcement of gender inequality begins already on the very first level of education, it would be sensible to start offering an equal opportunities for all programme already on kindergarten and elementary levels. It is more difficult to change developed norms later at higher levels of education. Rigid gender rules often set limits to the development and application of girls’ and boys’ abilities and skills, as well as their choices in later life. Consequently, the education system should be built to be as free of gender stereotypes as much as possible and it should encourage girls and boys to participate in all spheres of life.
Since 2008, gender and education has been a priority activity for ENUT.
Breaking gender-bias around women’s career choices (2024-2025)
The purpose of the project: Equality and equal treatment. Business environment, sustainable and adaptive governance.
General goal: A supportive environment is created to empower women and break gender bias in career choices.
Additional objectives:
Integrating gender issues into entrepreneurship education, career counseling and entrepreneurship promotion.
Applying Norwegian best practices in Estonia to promote women’s empowerment through education and entrepreneurship.
Preparation and publication of a practical guide.
Project duration: October 2024 – April 30, 2025
Partners: BPW Follo, contact: Anna Halvorsen, Chairperson, anna@tax-return.no, https://www.facebook.com/bpwfollo/
Project manager: Riin Ehin
Background: In terms of the proportion of women in top positions in business and management, Estonia lags significantly behind the best countries. At the political level, there are no strategies or supporting measures for women’s entrepreneurship and empowerment. In 2024, women will make up only 15% of managers in companies with a turnover exceeding 10 million euros and with more than 10 employees. Only 27% of companies founded in Estonia are created by women.
A 2020 survey by Kantar Atlas shows that around 38% of men want to start their own business, compared to only 26% of women. The difference starts with ambition, which means thinking big, making bold choices and achieving goals. However, this does not happen by itself, especially for women who want to choose different career options from tradition, such as management or entrepreneurship. This is largely due to gender norms and traditional gender roles. If we want to increase the number of women in leadership positions and in business, we must break the gender bias in career choices. We need girls/young women who believe “they can do it”.
The beginning of empowerment:
Empowerment of women must start in early childhood and continue in studies at all levels of education. To support girls/young women in making non-traditional career choices, a gender perspective and skills to deal with gender bias must be included in education, career counseling and entrepreneurship promotion. This can be done by providing the necessary knowledge, skills and guidance to key players.
Such guidelines can complement ENUT’s “Methodological Guidelines for Textbook Compilers and Teachers to Create Gender-Neutral Teaching Aids” as part of the EEA-supported project that ended in the spring of 2024.
Why Norway?
Norway is a beacon of gender equality, showing what can be achieved when women’s potential is fully realized. Norway appointed the first gender equality ombudsman in the 1980s. In 2005, Norway implemented a law requiring at least 40% women on the boards of listed companies. Norway has successfully implemented gender-sensitive education, providing support and empowerment to young girls and women.
The project is supported by
Project „Education without gender stereotypes = more equal and wider opportunities for young people“
Duration: 01.11.2022-30.04.2024
The aim of the project is to advance the knowledge as well as the need to avoid gender stereotypes in educational literature and materials in order to raise the theoretical awareness and practical knowledge of gender equality among educational staff, teacher educators, curricula creators, publishers and teachers alike. An analysis of the current situation will be carried out, where a selection of study materials (both digital and paper versions) will be studied. Within the framework of this project, discussions and training on gender stereotypes will be organized with the project target group and project partners.
The project also foresees training for experts, who will contribute to the topic even after the end of the project timeframe. The main output of the project is a guide created by ENUT experts on gender stereotypes and their prevention for the authors of educational literature and their everyday users. The guidance material is accompanied by its piloting to different target groups and its presentation during the final conference of the project.
The partners of this project are NGOs The Estonian Publishers’ Association, Estonian Education Forum, and Tallinn University.
The project is funded by Active citizens fund for 54 385 €. The fund’s donor countries are Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, and its programmes in Estonia are coordinated by the Open Estonia Foundation.