Description
In Romania, there is a lack of policies addressing gender dimensions of inequality situations impacting girls. The project means to identify the needs and vulnerabilities that affect young girls, age 14-18, especially when confronted with difficult situations (early pregnancy, trafficking, violence, sexual abuse, school abandonment, parents immigration, gender and ethnic discrimination) by using qualitative data and institutional analysis and by proposing improvement measures that can be integrated in the actual framework, determining a better understanding of the situation from a gender perspective and a more adequate, responsible and efficient response. The project's objectives are to: 1. To analyse the gender causes of inequalities, involving 200 teenagers into research 2. To evaluate policies/legislation concerning the protection of teenagers and the portrayal of girls in media 3. To develop personal/professional abilities for 90 girls 4. To improve policies, in order to diminish gender inequalities, involving 200 specialists (public institutions, NGOs, journalists)
Summary of project results
The current public policy system in Romania is focused almost exclusively on measures for protecting children and specific provisions for adults. Adolescence, a period of major risks, especially for girls, is ignored or absent from policies point of view. GIRLS - Girls Equity Tolerance Equality aimed at identifying and addressing vulnerabilities that affect adolescent girls by conducting qualitative research and public system analysis, and at developing recommendations for improving the current system, leading to a better understanding of the situation from the perspective of gender vulnerabilities. The first step towards a better understanding of the challenges was to map the needs of vulnerable adolescent girls and boys along with monitoring media trends in portraying girls and evaluating dedicated legislation and public policies. The qualitative research focused on how teenagers perceive adolescence, relationships with their families, the peer groups, the education system, authorities etc. Besides the gender prescriptions available to young women and girls, media plays a key role in portraying a stereotypical model of femininity, where girls are encouraged to concentrate their efforts on their bodies as their main asset. Information on the status of young women living through teen years were collected through the public system analysis as well, which revealed that the 14-18 age group is mostly ignored in areas like equal opportunities, violence, harassment and trafficking, education, youth and health. Based on these conclusions, 8 regional workshops were organised with the participation of experts from public institutions and private organisations, who contributed to making recommendations for improving the public system. The recommendations were brought to the attention of policy makers during specific communication events, as well as during 8 dedicated meetings that brought forward the topic of adolescent girls as relevant beneficiaries of public measures. In addition, 89 adolescent girls from 3 vocational highschools were directly involved in a pilot programme, developed according to their needs. The pilot project created a safe space where topics related to the experiences of being a teenage girl were explored, with the aim of strengthening personal agency, of increasing self-trust, self-awareness and critical thinking, as well as increasing solidarity and support among girls.
Summary of bilateral results