Early Care and the Role of Men (ECAROM)

The project is based on the recognition that the educational system, especially that part of it that refers to the earliest period of gender stereotypes formation, i.e. preschool education, is crucial on the one hand for reproduction and on the other hand for reducing and overcoming gender stereotypes. Therefore, the project aims to explore pedagogical practices of formal and hidden curricula in preschool education that influence the formation of gender stereotypes about care work. The project will develop and disseminate innovative gender sensitive pedagogical approaches and tools for kindergarten teachers that promote perception of care work as gender neutral and a socially important area. Gender equality in the division of private and/or professional care work presupposes the loosening and changing of existing gender roles and social norms not only for women but also for men, however, men receive little attention in existing gender equality policies, programs and projects. In the ECAROM project, we start from the recognition that the success of efforts for gender equality also depends on the involvement of men, so we focus our activities on changing gender stereotypes associated with masculinity and caring work.

The main project’s activities are:

1. Research of existing pedagogical practices and tools for overcoming gender stereotypes about care work and needs analysis of kindergarten teachers for gender-sensitive pedagogical and didactic approaches and tools.
2. Educational seminars intended to exchange of good practices between partner countries.
3. Development of innovative gender sensitive pedagogical approaches, tools, materials and educational manual.
4. Design and implementation of training course for kindergarten teachers and for secondary and higher education students of pedagogy.
5. Design and implementation of a digital learning platform for teachers.
6. Dissemination and organization of a national symposium and international conference.