1. Introduction and Reflect(5 min)

Introduce the topic and ask a few students to share important lessons learned from the previous lesson.

2. Warming up: Do the walk (10 min)

Materials

None

Aim

Students act out and reflect on gender roles.

Teacher Tips

Students may show exaggerated gender behaviour when walking like someone of the opposite sex. It can be hilarious or embarrassing to show how challenging it is to take the role of the opposite sex. Reflect about gender roles can make students aware of how unrealistic, limiting and unfair they can be.

Explain that gender expectations don’t consider variety amongst individuals from the same sex. They prescribe behaviour in a limited way without respect for diversity.

How

1. All students are to choose a spot in the room. At a sign everyone starts walking through the room at the same time.
2. Ask all students to walk like "a real woman".
3. Use the reflection questions below to explore gender expectations and roles for women.
4. After this reflection continue by asking all students to walk like "a real man". Use the same reflection questions to explore the gender roles for men.
5. Reflection questions:
   1. What does a ‘real’ woman/real man show when they are walking ? (Probe for gender characteristics/roles).
   2. Do all women/men walk according to these characteristics?
   3. Discuss what we think when we see a man walking in a feminine way and a woman in a macho way? Where is that coming from?
      Does everyone have the right to walk the way they want to?
6. Finish by asking all students to walk with their chin up high, shoulders wide and chest out. Does this way of walking give you a particular feeling? Does this feeling between boys and girls differ and why is that?

Wrap Up

The way we think a woman or a man should behave or act is mainly determined by the society we live in and the cultural norms we share. These expected roles of men and women are called gender roles. Gender roles mean that we do not consider men and women as individuals having each unique characteristics.

Many societies look at men as superior and women as inferior. You might see this reflected in the way women move around and the way men walk. Often men walk with much more self-confidence than women, who are often shy and avoid eye contact.

3. Do: Being a woman/Being a man (40 min)

Materials

Two sheets of paper per group.
Pens, pencils or coloured markers.
Optional: per student one hand out: Reproductive Health Related Laws and Issues in Malawi.

Aim

1. Students learn to distinguish between biological sex and gender and explore which characteristics society and culture attribute to males and females.
2. Students can mention characteristics, which are biologically determined and which are socially determined.
3. Students reflect on how gender roles can limit people, ignore individual differences and do not guide people in using their talents the best way.
4. Students become aware that – just as cultural norms - gender roles are changeable and reflect on how they could be redefined to benefit both boys and girls and society.

How

1. Explain that we will reflect on what our society and culture says about being a man or a woman and what biology tells us (e.g. men have a penis and can make a woman pregnant, women have a vagina and have their period).
2. Let’s first look at what we mean by society and culture and how they differ. With society we mean the community of people living in a particular region and sharing customs, laws and usually also a common language.
   Culture is the set of values, norms and rules which prescribes people's 'way of life', meaning the way they should do things in society.
   Having the same cultural values and practices can give people a sense of belonging; it harmonizes living together and brings people closer. Certain cultural norms and practices however can also have a negative impact on their ‘members’, e.g. when it is the cultural norm to be circumcised as a girl or when the cultural norm accepts violence and tolerates men to use violence towards their wife when she doesn’t obey him.
   A culture is passed on to the next generation by learning, whereas genetics are passed on by heredity. Culture is seen in people's writing, religion, music, clothes, cooking and in what they do or how they act and it changes continuously over time.
3. In this activity, we are going to look at what your culture and society say about being a 'real' man and a 'real' woman. Based on these characteristics we will make the distinction between what is biologically determined and what is culturally determined. A characteristic is biologically determined when we are born that way and can’t change it (e.g. men can ejaculate semen, women can breastfeed). When a characteristic is culturally determined, it means that the society we live in and the cultural norms we share, decide how a man or woman should act or behave.
4. Write the following table including the examples of characteristics on the board. Leave enough space to add more words in each column.

   Biological	Cultural	Biological
   Women		Men
   - Breastfeeding - Menstruating - Caring - Vagina - Not sexual active - Passive		- Father - Financial provider - Brave - Penis - Sexual active - Power

5. When they have looked at the table on the board, ask students to brainstorm about how men and women behave differently.
   1. You might take as example a very specific situation, like a funeral where women are allowed to cry and men are not or another situation which might be applicable.
   2. How do men and women behave differently in this situation? Add those characteristics to the list in the appropriate column, women or men (e.g. women cry, men don’t show emotions).
   3. Encourage students to think beyond the setting of a funeral and think of how men and women behave and what roles they have in the community. You might need to ask probing questions to generate certain responses.
6. Reflect on the examples in the columns by asking: Is this characteristic something a (wo)man is born with? Is it something biological? Or it something learned or acquired during life?
   1. If it is learned or acquired, move the characteristics to the middle column. In the middle column all characteristics appear that are not biological, but appointed to men or women by society and culture.
      
   2. If it is biological, you keep it in column ‘biological’
      Do this for all of the characteristics.
      For instance: A woman may be seen as ‘passive’, is this a biological feature, or something we learn about women during life? Answer: this is learned, not biological. Then you move this feature to the middle column.
7. Explain that all characteristics that remain in the column 'women' and the column 'men' are biologically determined. Everything in the middle column is influenced by our culture and is therefore changeable. Add the title 'Cultural' to the middle column.
   Even more, the characteristics that are in the ‘cultural column’ are applicable to both men and women! For instance being caring is not biologically determined to women and being courageous is not determined to men. Take not of this, as this is a big step for many people!
8. Explain the term ‘Gender role’: gender roles are the roles that are contributed to the sexes of man and woman and are influenced by our culture. Gender roles have been learned which means they are also changeable when someone does not agree with them.
   No one should accept a prescribed gender role that limits one person in their quality of life. Not for yourself and not for someone else.
9. Reflect on the exercise by asking the following questions:
   1. What is the difference between sex and gender?
      Answer: Sex is composed of biological and physical characteristics that define men and women. Gender on the other hand means the expected roles, personal trades and behaviours considered appropriate for a man or a woman, who may differ from culture to culture. (The next question don’t have a ‘wrong’ or ‘right’ answer, are triggers for discussion)
   2. How do some gender roles limit boys’ and girls’ lives?
   3. Are women or girls offered the same chances as boys and men? Why is this so? Is this fair?
   4. Which expectations that your family have of you because of your gender would you like to change?
   5. What are the benefits when boys and girls behave differently than is expected from them?
      And what are the challenges? Can you give examples for a boy and for a girl?
   6. What do you think gender equality means? Does gender equality exist in your community?
10. If time allows, use the following questions for further discussions:
    1. What could boys/men (including yourself) contribute to changing the gender roles that exist for girls?
    2. What could girls/ women (including yourself) contribute to changing the gender roles that exist for boys?

Teacher Tips

Gender equality means equal treatment of women and men in law, policies and behaviour, and equal access of women and men to resources and services within families, relationships, education, health services, communities and society at large.

Wrap Up

How we are expected to behave as boys and girls is not only biologically determined, but is influenced by the cultural norms and the society we live in. In many societies men are privileged: male values are considered more important than female values. Therefore, men often are given more power than women in the public arena and at home. This is what we call a patriarchal society.

These patriarchal norms and values are reflected in institutions and laws. Men are more easily getting respected jobs such as policy maker, director, manager or police officer and often get paid more for the same job than women.

Based on these values some people can be discriminated against, such as women who do not have children, men who do “women’s work” like cleaning or looking after the children, unmarried or homosexual people.

Culture can limit individuals by its gender roles. Some cultural practices are unfair or can even be harmful for girls but also for boys. But, as culture is never static and continuously changes, expectations in gender roles can also change. This way men and women can gradually get more freedom and equality.

As members of a society we can influence these cultural norms and become active agents of change to create fair and equal gender relations that benefit both boys and girls, men and women, sons and daughters et cetera, but also our culture and society.

4. Read & Talk: Equal rights for all- Presentation (25min)

Material

Presentation: Equal rights for all

Aim

1. Students learn about basic human rights, where they come from and who are responsible for them.
2. Students understand why human rights are important and who they are for.
3. Students explore 5 important sexual and reproductive rights of young people and reflect on the implementation of these rights in their own community.
4. Students understand that gender inequality hinders the implementation of human rights for all and recognize the role of cultural practices and gender in their lives.
5. Explain that cultural traditions are meant to protect everybody, but that some are harmful, especially for girls and women.
6. Students are empowered to fight for their own and other people’s rights.

How

1. Students read the dialog between the peer educators together in pairs or groups. Students should discuss certain issues in the presentation together before they continue with the presentation.
   The presentation covers the following topics:
   1. The concept of human rights, where they come from and who formulated them.
   2. Why we have these human rights and who they are for.
   Sexual and reproductive rights for young people.
   3. The responsibilities that come with having human rights.
   4. Cultural practices, gender roles and situations that hinder the implementation of human rights for all.
2. Conclude the presentation with a class discussion about the points discussed in the presentation using the following question:
   1. Which human rights are not equally respected for both men and women, and both boys and girls in your own community? Why is this so? What could be done to change these for the benefit of both women and men?

Wrap Up

Conclude with a group discussion, in which you emphasize that respecting both men’s and women’s rights, treating them both fairly and encouraging them to share responsibilities creates a more balanced, equal, peaceful and healthier society.

5. Lesson Wrap up (5 min)

Share the following quote from Nelson Mandela with the students: "A common voice will make men and women strong". Discuss with the students how this quote is related to the topic of this lesson.

6. Homework: Let’s join forces (5 min)

Material

One worksheet per student (Worksheet: Let’s Join forces).
Pencil, pen or coloured marker.

Aim

Students reflect on harmful practices (in their own community) that are not in line with or violate human rights and identify ways in which to advocate for these rights.

How

1. Students write electronically (or manually) the following in the fingers drawn on the (printed)worksheet:
   - Left hand fingers: What practices are violations of human rights that you want to stop? (think about the examples mentioned in the presentation and make sure that examples for both girls and boys are presented)
   - Right hand fingers: what actions could you or your group of peers undertake to stop those harmful practices that are violations of human rights?
2. Students think of alternatives for the cultural practices that are harmful without losing the value of their traditions and culture. If needed, use the example in the presentation of an alternative rite of passage into (wo)manhood to encourage their thinking. If they have the opportunity, ask them to investigate alternative rites of passage by surfing on the internet.
3. The worksheet can be part of the Top Tip Peer Book.

Teacher Tips

Motivate students to become agents of change and advocates for their own and other people’s rights. Explain that young people have a lot of rights but also responsibilities. It is both up to them and the government to live according to these rights and responsibilities.

As young people they can be involved in developing youth policies and programmes at all levels of development, implementation and evaluation. Refer to the slogan in the presentation: ‘If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to move far, go together!

Wrap Up

We as individuals have the responsibility to know and respect our own and other people’s rights, educate on these rights, advocate for them and come up with solutions to protect these human rights.