The main goal was to support ECEC teachers, preschools’ leaders and other training providers to improve gender and gender related digital access equality in ECEC settings in all aspects that ensure inclusive quality ECEC as per EU Quality Framework Recommendations, whilst empowering them to monitor and (self)evaluate the gender mainstreaming in ECEC. The specific objectives were: 1. To improve ECEC professionals’ and other supporting staff’s competences to self-assess their own gender biased prejudice and discriminatory attitudes and practises; 2. To develop tools and guides for policies and practices reducing gender and gender related digital use gaps in the ECEC settings in 5 quality areas per EU Quality Framework Recommendations; 3. To create and strengthen learning community of teachers, parents, civil society and other stakeholders that can effectively monitor, (self)evaluate gender and gender related digital use and plan measures to reduce it.
We decided to develop the project because we had previously acquired good expertise on promoting gender equality by being involved in awareness raising projects and training in the school, VET and youth sectors. ECEC sector is a strategic one and it’s actually from here that educators, professionals and parents have to start working on combating gender stereotypes and bias. Through our work and especially in joint collaboration with partners, we were convinced that we could all reach a better understanding of the various cultural contexts and what it means contrasting gender stereotypes in early years. GENDERBEST was a unique opportunity to discover how ECEC systems in Serbia, Italy and Slovakia function, how different languages shape the differences between boys and girls, and to help transferring knowledge and skills to preschool teachers and staff on how to promote greater equality among young children. In terms of needs, ECEC staff in all three countries explicitly asked to be helped to strengthen their competences to challenge gender stereotypes in the ECEC sector, to help parents change their attitudes towards gender roles with a special attention to the approach towards digital tools and their use with young children.