OSCE Mission to Moldova trains teachers from vocational schools on gender equality and women’s rights

Forty-six teachers from vocational schools throughout Moldova completed a Train the Trainer programme and learned new techniques for achieving gender equality and improving their skills in the promotion of women’s rights in the field of education. The training course, organized by the OSCE Mission to Moldova in partnership with the Ministry of Education, Culture and Research, took place from 22 to 25 August 2017 in Chisinau.

The course aims to develop a local capability to promote awareness about gender equality issues and women’s rights among teachers from selected vocational schools throughout the country. The goal is also to consolidate a national platform of teachers able to promote gender equality among vocational training students. 

The teachers were familiarized with both theoretical approaches and practical tools for developing gender-sensitive teaching techniques.  They were also exposed to concepts such as women’s rights, gender equality and non-discrimination and discussed why it is important to debunk persistent gender stereotypes in vocational education.     

“Mainstreaming gender equality in vocational schools is crucial for two reasons: teachers are of central importance in the education system for sharing values, knowledge, and developing human potential and skills, and gender equality is a priority on the international development agenda, ” said Valentina Bodrug-Lungu, a professor at Moldova State University, who delivered the training course.

“This is a unique training opportunity for us. It allows us to have a better understanding of how gender stereotypes influence young careers and equip future generations of professionals with the necessary skill-sets to prevent gender-based discrimination and foster balance in family roles,” said Marian CHEPTEA, a teacher from No.3 vocational school in Bălți.