MAINSTREAMING TOOLS — ACTIVITIES
Expectations and Demands
Issues addressed | Discrimination, Inequality |
Complexity | 1 (low complexity) |
Group size | 15 to 25 paxs |
Estimated duration | 90 minutes |
Objectives | This activity uses brainstorming techniques to help participants understand the different expectations towards and demands on girls/ young women and boys/young men in contemporary society. The main objective is to support participants distinguish between the differing expectations contemporary society puts on girls and boys, young men and young women. |
Related thematic chapters |
Preparations
This activity does not require significant advance preparation but it is worthwhile for the facilitator to become acquainted with some factual information about the expectations and demands that girls / boys and young men / young women face in the community. As material preparation, facilitators hang five flipchart on the wall. Each one should be marked with one of the following settings: school, family, friends, society, partner Divide each flip chart into two columns; one column should have the title ‘boys’ or ‘young men’, and the other should have the title ‘girls’ or ‘young women’ on each.Instructions
Step 1 — 5 minutes
Introduce the exercise and start the activity presenting the flipchart on the wall and the five settings they represent.
Step 2 — 5 minutes
Allocate few minutes to think individually about what they believe is expected or demanded of girls and boys in the different settings identified on the posters on the wall
Step 3 — 10 minutes
As ideas appear, participants can freely walk around the room and write these down on the relevant part of the appropriate flip chart.
Step 4 — 10 minutes
Expert Groups
Once the brainstorming phase has been completed, create by participants' interest, five expert groups. One exert group for each sector to be explored: school, family, friends, society, partner
Step 5 — 10 minutes
Each expert group should select one of the flip charts and discuss its content.
Write the following guiding questions in a visible place as they may help participants in their group discussions.
- What differences can you identify between the expectations and demands put on girls and boys?
- What would you like to change?
- How do you think it can be changed?
Step 6 — 15 minutes
Each group reports the results of their discussion briefly to the whole group.
Step 7 — 20 minutes
At the end of the presentations, allow some minutes to proceed to debrief the exercise.
Facilitators may use the reference questions to be found in the next point: Debriefing
Debriefing
Initiate the discussion by reviewing the results of the group work. Ask participants for their initial reactions to the results, how they feel about them, if anything surprised them and, if so, why. Facilitators may continue the discussion using the following guiding questions:- Where do these expectations come from?
- Is it possible for boys and girls / young men and young women to fulfil these expectations?
- Who promotes these expectations?
- How do we ourselves promote them (whether consciously or unconsciously)?
- What are the effects of these expectations on young people?
- How can we / our organisations contribute positively to changing the situation?