Pilot Programmes with Youth

Youth Say NO to Violence Against Women
It is absolutely essential to mobilize youth action to eliminate violence against women and to promote a rights-based approach because:

UN Women in Action
In 2009, following the success of the Say NO campaign in mobilizing youth voices, UN Women initiated a Regional Programme to End Violence Against Women by Addressing the Normative Dimensions of Gender-Based Violence. This Programme was piloted in Thailand through initiatives with students in Thai schools as well as international schools and universities.

Pilot Programme with Thai Schools
UN Women collaborated with the Office of the Basic Education Commission (OBEC) at the Ministry of Education to develop the joint programme “Youth Say NO to Violence Against Women in Thailand”. The objectives were:
1.  To build knowledge and understanding of Thai youth about the perceptions, attitudes and behaviours that justify violence against women and children and to gain the support and buy-in of teachers and school administrators to help implement the programmes with youth
2. Organize student-led school-based activities geared toward raising awareness and reducing violence against women and children.
3.  To analyze of the 2008 Basic Education Curriculum and provide recommendations on integrating VAW modules into learning.

The programme was initiated in May 2009 with a three-day gender sensitivity training workshop attended by more than 200 students and teachers from eight pilot schools across Thailand. Students developed comprehensive plans of action to create safe and violence-free school environments and to build awareness among their peers about violence against women, and presented these plans to HRH Princess Bajrakitiyabha at a launching ceremony for the project. The students and their teachers returned to their schools equipped with a concrete plan to bring gender-sensitivity to their peers through school clubs and other activities.

Through the year the students worked on their plans, implementing their action plans with the support of UN Women follow-up workshops.

Some student-led campaigns in schools
• “Gentleman Search” - a contest to search for male role models among the students
• “We’re safe...when we go to school” - a plan to introduce security policies to make the school campus a safe environment
• “Kids help reduce domestic violence” - a programme to help students cope with violence at home
•  “Strong Women, Capable Men” – an initiative for gender equality in education, encouraging female students to take traditionally male dominated classes, including sports and martial arts, while male students were trained on taking action when witnessing acts of violence against women

Pilot Programmes with International Schools
Following the active engagement of youth in international schools and universities in collecting signatures for the Say NO campaign in 2008, UN Women conducted a series of 2-day gender sensitivity trainings in February and May 2009 for 120 international school students, teachers, and university students. The trainings focused on building knowledge on the causes, myths and impacts of various forms of violence against women, as well as gender stereotyping and gender roles and norms. The trainings applied a human rights perspective on the issues, and culminated in action plans developed by the students.

After completing the trainings, students collaborated to implement their plans, working with UN Women and their peers and teachers to create awareness about gender issues in their communities. Their activities included:

In August, a Training of Trainers workshop was held for a select group of 14 students from the first workshop, who had demonstrated the commitment and ability to become peer trainers. By encouraging youth leadership and empowering capable young leaders with skills in peer training, the programme ensured sustainability through a multiplier effect.