<p>Education and learning are all impacted by the amount of sleep you get, your family life, and how much support you have.</p>
<p>One underlying factor many people forget about is the social hierarchy. For decades it's been this factor in how a child does in school. The social structure shifts from time to time and there have been adjustments to the system, but the hierarchy plays a major role.</p>
<p>It is a self-evident fact that what people think of us affects our mood and productivity. The social hierarchy varies from school to school but, the most basic structure can be broken down into three parts; jocks, normals, and nerds. In 2019 UIC today conducted a study and students broke the social hierarchy into 11 different groups. At the top of the pyramid rested the popular kids, jocks, floaters, and good-ats.</p>
<p>The popular kids and jocks were all rich, attractive, and well-known. Floaters were students that floated between groups and good-ats were students that were all-rounded and liked. The normals consisted of fine arts, brains, normals, and stoners. Fine arts and brains were all students that were good at what they specifically did such as academics or arts. The normals tend to be invisible and untitled. Lastly, the nerds are composed of goths, manga, and loners. Goth kids dress up in dark dresses and the mange students are students who love Japanese novels/cartoons. The loners are students with low self-esteem and primarily stay to themselves.</p>

<p>It is evident when you see someone you can easily categorize them. This system leads students to think about what their peers think of them on an hourly basis. With their minds on what they like and how they fit in, students need help to focus on their academics.</p>

<p>Students in a higher social class making snide and rude comments can affect the mood of their peers. In most scenarios, people who are higher up on the pyramid tend to come from money and stable families. This can make their peers upset and frustrated over time.</p>

<p>Understanding the social hierarchy can help dissolve it and lead to a more balanced school life. Each child can have a different feeling or approach to the system. Some may like it and some may resent it.</p>

<p>What we can do is to make sure all the social classes feel comfortable and respected when they go to school. Students should feel safe and relaxed when they go to school, they shouldn't be worried about what their peers think of them.</p>





How does the social hierarchy affect education and learning?

Our Children's Rights Department is all about children's voices being heard. We are teaching children about their rights and how to exercise them. We are creating a platform for young people to share content about their rights and to enable them to build their own collective to share ideas.

Children's Rights

thumbnail_c-r.png

c-r.png



    <p>
        Human rights have been out there for decades. However, do we really understand what they are?
    </p>
    <p>
        These rights are a group of entitlements that we all have due to our condition as human beings. We do not need anyone to grant them to us, no matter where we come from. These rights are inherent to ALL of us, regardless of race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.
    </p>
    <p>
        Therefore, they are also equal to all humankind, and that means that discrimination cannot be used as a ground to take them away from you. These entitlements operate in a particular way. They are indivisible and interdependent. That means that they rely on each other, and if you affect one of them, you affect them all. One of the most important things about these rights is that they are fundamental. That is why they turn into obligations for States to protect, fulfill, and respect them!
    </p>
    <p>
        Human rights are important as they appreciate the inherent dignity in human life. They protect values that are inherent to human life like liberty and human dignity. Human rights do not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, religion, and occupation.
    </p>
    <p>
        In talking to children and young people about human rights, it has become clear to me that rights knowledge is both empowering and safeguarding for children and young people. It strengthens their capacity, agency, and capabilities, and engenders respect for the rights of others. We believe that everyone has the right to learn about their rights, regardless of literacy level.
    </p>

    <p class="highlight">WE HAVE A CHILDREN'S RIGHTS ART EXHIBITION COMING UP</p>
    <p>
        Join Educacion Diversa and L27 Gallery for a multi-media exhibition that showcases Educacion Diversa's artworks from around the world that focus on educating and implementing the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC).
    </p>

    <div class="details">
        <p class="section-title">Dates:</p>
        <p>21st till 23rd November 2024</p>

        <p class="section-title">Where:</p>
        <p>L27 Gallery</p>

        <p class="section-title">Address:</p>
        <p>59 Boolimba Crescent, Narrabundah ACT 2604</p>

        <hr>

        <p class="section-title">Opening Times:</p>
        <p>Friday - Adults ONLY - 7pm - 9:30pm</p>
        <p>Saturday - Children's Day - 10am - 4pm</p>
        <p>Sunday - 10am - 12pm</p>
    </div>




<div class="full-center">
<div>
<p>
Convention on the Rights of the Child
<a href="https://www.unicef.org/media/56661/file" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> - English Version</a>


</p><p>
Convención sobre los Derechos del Niño
<a href="https://www.un.org/es/events/childrenday/pdf/derechos.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> - Versión en Español</a>
</p>
</div>
</div>

Drawing For Your Rights

Engaging girls in politics by giving them the education, resources, and tools to advocate for political change, in order to increase the number of women in global politics.

Empowerment
CHILDREN’S RIGHTS
As of September 2023, only 35.5% of elected members in local bodies are women. 1 While we
celebrate an increase compared to previous decades, this percentage is very low considering that
women represent more than half of the global population. The objective of Preschool to Politics is to
empower young girls to be involved in the formulation of policy and politics. By familiarizing girls to
terms such as policy from a young age, they will feel confident and prepared to take on leadership
roles in our future communities.
Preschool to Politics provides a step-by-step guide and information on how to write basic policy. This
project is divided in two stages determined by the age of the participants:
1) 5- 8 years old: while participating in dynamic and collaborative activities, girls will learn about
the policy process, democracy, and its importance for their communities.
2) 9- 12 years old: with the use of a flowchart, girls will be encouraged to write a basic policy
draft.

# Goal
Providing girls with the necessary education, resources and tools to pursue a career in politics to address gender inequality and women’s rights in public policy.

### Resources, Subject Matter Experts and Actions
1. Write communications plan
2. Create webpage on website
3. Create videos ready for launch

Preschool to Politics

<p>“How about a hug?” a relative asked my daughter the other day, her negative response at first was shutdown, “Come on, it’s only a hug and I miss you”.</p>
    <p>This is when I said, “It’s ok, you can go and play, and if you want to come back and give a hug, you can. But you don’t have to.”</p>
    <p>You see, what kind of messages are we giving our children when we are telling them that they have to say Yes and give consent to physical touch when it comes to certain people, because they are relatives, or friends, or it’s socially not ok to turn them down, when at the same time we are telling them that they have the power to say NO?</p>
    <p>Moreover, many parents  and caregivers often wait until their children are older to talk about sexual consent. What they are missing on is the fact that sexual consent is not just in relation to intercourse. Waiting until your child is ready to become sexually active before you start talking about consent, may place your child in vulnerable situation in relation to any unwanted physical touch.</p>
    <p>One in four girls and one in 20 boys are sexually abused before the age of 18, and about 35 percent of sexual abuse victims are under 12 years old—elementary school age. And in a 2018 national survey, over 80 percent of women and 40 percent of men reported experiencing some form of sexual harassment or assault in their lifetime. </p>
    <p>This said, sitting down a toddler to explain to them what sexual abuse is, will most probably just confuse and scare them. 
      So how and when to talk about keeping safe? I truly believe we need to teach safe, protective education and consent from the age of 3, using really clear, simple messages that do not aim to scare those children.</p>
  <ol>
    <li>
      Start with using correct words for all body parts. 
    </li>
    <p>This should happen actually from day 1, as we are changing nappies for the infant, we start by mentioning that we are now cleaning the penis, the vulva, and the bottom. Those are body parts just like the nose, knees, or hands. Those parts are not unacceptable, taboos or have purely sexual connotations, it’s our perception of them that makes them as such.</p>
    <p>The reason why this is important, is that research has shown that children who are confident in using the proper names of those body parts are much more likely to tell if something inappropriate happens.</p>
    <p>Furthermore, it shows sexual predators that the child and his parents talk about this at home and hence adds another obstacle to the abuse.</p>
    <li>Introduce the concept of consent.</li>
    <p>Kids need to feel fully in control of their bodies and hence it is important to make it a habbit to ask your children if you can touch them, even for a cuddle or a hug. We explain to our 2-3 year old that I need to touch their private part to clean after they have done a poo if they have not mastered that yet or they are still in their nappy.
      We also repeat that they have the power to say NO and everyone regardless of who they are, have to respect our NO and we in turn have to accept and respect the NO coming from others.</p>
    <p>This leads us to point number 3.</p>
    <li>Don’t force hugs and kisses.</li>
    <p>We can’t emphasise how important it is to keep reminding children that they are the bosses of their own body. </p>
    <p>Stating that to them is not enough though.</p>
    <p>What kind of a message are we sending when we are telling them: “ you are the boss of your body” and then only 5-10 mins later to say “It’s not nice to say No to grandma, go give her a hug, she loves you”.</p>
    <p>Yes you guessed it, we are telling them that they are not really the boss of thei own bodies, because, Grandam and Grandpa and Uncle and Auntie and Grandma’s friend and our Neighbour X are allowed to give you hugs and kisses and make you feel uncomfortable even if you say NO!!!</p>
    <p>Hence, that molester who happens to also be someone I know (because 93% of the time they are) can touch me because they also love me? And it’s not ok to say no to someone I know who is showing me “affection”?</p>
    <p>You see where I am going with this?</p>
    <li>Teach kids to understand and trust their feelings</li>
    <p>Start by teaching children to identify and name their feelings and those of others. Whether through role plays, a fun memory matching game or sitting with them and talking about how they felt around a certain situation (whether happy or not).</p>
    <p>Let them identify where that feeling also was in their body, when I felt scared from the sound of the balloon popping my heart ached. Explain to them that if they ever feel uncomfortable, anxious, scared, etc because of someone or what they may have said or done, they need to come to you directly and that YOU WILL TRUST THEIR FEELINGS TOO no matter who that other person is.</p>
    <li>Teach them Safe VS Unsafe touches</li>
    <p>While you may be familiar with the “bad touch”, “good touch” concept, I personally along with others prefer not to use it as the word bad by itself (bad feeling, bad behaviour, bad person) has a deep routed meaning of shame and guilt.
      This may demotivate the child to tell so he won’t be associated with these two words. 
      Furthermore, this may cause confusion as not all perpetrators are violent or aggressive with their victims. Some are gentle which may cause an unwanted and rather instinctual “good feeling” for the child leading them to again wonder why is this “bad”? and should I feel ashamed that it did not feel “bad” for me?</p>
    <p>Hence, using terms such as safe and unsafe touches are easier for a child to understand and does not include a lot of misinterpretation. Just like it’s Unsafe to cross the traffic light when it is red, it’s unsafe for anyone to touch you on your private parts which include the: Penis, Scrotum, Vulva, Bottom, Chest, Breast, and Mouth, unless it’s the doctor in the presence and consent of your parents, your parents/carer if they are cleaning that area after a poo (up to a certain age…when they can be doing that independently).</p>
    <li>Teach your child Safe VS Unsafe secrets.</li>
    <p>Unsafe secrets are secrets that may put you or others at risk of getting hurt. </p>
    <p>Example of Unsafe Secrets:</p>
    <ul>
      <li>if they involve unsafe touches</li>
      <li>if they involve someone else being harmed</li>
      <li>being forced to look at pictures or videos that make them feel uncomfortable</li>
      <li>being asked to undress</li>
      <li>being forced to drink or eat or sniff something</li>
    </ul>
    <p>Make sure your child truly understands the difference. Provide them with scenarios of safe and unsafe secrets and let them tell you what they are.</p>
    <li>Help your child choose 3 to 5 trusted or safe adults (you included).</li>
    <p>Those are the people who they can go to if they feel unsafe. One must be present at school or childcare where the child spends his days and the others could be family members and friends. Make sure your child helps in choosing those people as they are the ones that need to feel completely comfortable and safe to approach those adults for help.</p>
    <p>Those safe adults need to show understanding, zero judgement and be proactive when it comes to what the child has said and not dismiss them in any way.</p>
    <li>Teach them and help them practice saying “NO, Stop It! I don’t like that!”</li>
    <p>These are not only words; you need to also teach them the posture that comes with it. Hands on hips, legs slightly apart, shoulders thrown back and head held high. This is a very empowering stance and should be practiced regularly and not only when facing molesters, but also with peers who are bullying. </p>
    <li>MOST IMPORTANTLY: it is never their fault, you will believe them no matter what.</li>
    <p>Assure them that they can come and talk to you about anything, not just through words, but also action. The phrase “You can tell me anything” loses its meaning if parents respond to questions or information from children with punishments, aggressive reactions, anger, or dismissiveness.</p>
  </ol>
  
  <p>Revisit this often. Children learn through repetition. This is not a “let’s sit down and talk this one time and be done with it” kind of matter. How many times do you remind children to look both ways before crossing the street, or to blow the hot food before eating?</p>
  <p>On a final note, here are some books that I recommend, or head to https://ranatayara.selz.com/pages/products and download our “I am the boss of my body” activity books (in English, Arabic or French).</p>
  
  <div>
  <img src="/images/static/examples/blogs/attach-blogpost3.jpg" alt="books-recommend" />
  </div>

How to talk to kids about body safety and consent

<p>In 1993, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly defined violence against women as “any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women” (United Nations, 1993). In real terms this includes violence in domestic and inter-personal relationships; many forms of sexual violence including rape and sexual assault; systemic, institutional and culture based forms of violence; and new emerging forms of harassment and stalking based in modern technology. </p>
    <p>In this context, experience has demonstrated that women are significantly more likely to experience GBV than men. It has also shown that working with men, as partners, is critical to the prevention of and response to GBV. </p>
    <p>But why is important to work with men to address GBV? Work with men and boys can have a positive, transformative impact for the lives of women and girls, but also for the lives of men and boys. There is a much broader spectrum of positive roles for men and boys to play than perpetrator or potential perpetrator of gender-based violence. These roles not only prevent and reduce violence against women, but also improve the lives of men and boys by freeing them from these harmful and limiting aspects of masculinities. As a result, we can eliminate gender inequalities that hold back the development of our communities and nation, and ensure that women and girls that men care about do not have to live a life in fear of violence.</p>
    <p>And what are some benefits for men of getting engage in elimination of GBV? Better relationships, better health; Not being lumped into a stereotypical group of "men", not having to conform to negative aspects of masculinity; More freedom to pursue any activities in which they are interested; People men care about (mothers, sisters, girlfriends, aunts, etc) have a lesser chance of being harmed by violence and other gender inequities; Not bullied by other men for stepping outside the gender “box”; Less pressure to be the sole provider and protector, more economic prosperity for all. </p>
    <p>Achieving gender equality is a societal responsibility that must fully engage both men and women. Men need to be addressed as part of the solution, not just part of the problem. They need to be invited and challenged to critically reflect on the existence of patriarchy, male power and privilege; to analyze the costs to women and girls, but also the costs to men and boys. Finally, men and boys also need to be shown the benefits of gender equality, to women, girls, and all of humanity.</p>

The benefits of engaging men to eliminate GBV and the importance of their advocacy

<p><b>The background (origins, personal story)</b></p>
    <p>Lydia María Cacho Rìbeiro was born in 1963 in Mexico City. She became a journalist at 23 years old, specializing in gender issues and human rights. She is a feminist and a human rights activist who has been keen on defending human rights from an early age. Thanks to her mother, who has been her source of inspiration, Lydia has dedicated her life to investigating and exposing human trafficking, sexual violence, organized crime, corruption, and impunity. Amnesty International described her as "perhaps Mexico's most famous investigative journalist and women's rights advocate." Cacho is the winner of numerous international awards for her journalism, including the Civil Courage Prize, the Wallenberg Medal, and the Olof Palme Prize. In 2010, she was named a World Press Freedom Hero of the International Press Institute. When describing her job, she said: "I believe the role of journalism is to be a lantern, allowing society to exercise its right to know and understand; I believe human rights are non-negotiable. As long as I live, I will continue to write, and writing will keep me alive."</p>
    <p><b>The barrier(s) that she is trying to address</b></p>
    <p>Lydia's work as a journalist and her activism as a citizen are intertwined. Through her investigative reporting, Lydia Cacho willingly exposes herself at risk to fight against discrimination, racism, and violence against women and girls by writing it. When trying to achieve human dignity and equality, Cacho's aspiration was full of challenges. Working as a female journalist in Mexico can be dangerous, and being a women's rights activist even more so. In 2005, she released her book "The Demons of Eden" on stories of girls' abuses and pornography in a Cancún beach resort, exposing high-profile politicians and influential businessmen. In her book, Lydia Cacho revealed how several powerful men had been involved in the pederast-pedophile network. She reported on the ties of businessman José Kamel Nacif Borge, El rey de la mezclilla, the "King of Denim," for his jeans’ factories, and Jean Succar Kuri, the owner of a hotel in Cancún who was to be charged with child pornography. Consequently, Lydia was accused of libel and defamation and got arrested by the police in Cancún. During her detention, Lydia suffered several waves of abuse by the public enforcement that she later reported. She has been kidnapped, raped, assaulted, and tortured for 20 hours. She also received 20 death threats over the phone if she did not stop reporting. Nevertheless, Cacho refused to be silenced, and, in 2006, she wrote on the hundreds of female homicides in Ciudad Juárez. The injustices and abuses she suffered acted as a motivational strength to keep forward with her cause and defend her human rights, together with every other girl. In addition, in 2018, her documentary Somos valientes, “We are brave,” was released, which details the effect of violence on Mexican children. For two years, Lydia Cacho, the director of this docuseries, traveled with a team of documentary filmmakers and human rights experts to five different states in the country to talk and interview children about their rights. Afterward, in 2020, she was the host and executive producer of a bilingual podcast about femicide along the border in Ciudad Juárez through interviews with the investigators and the victims' families who tried to solve the crimes. The podcast was called "the Red Note" in English and "La Nota Roja" in Spanish.</p>
    <p><b>The impact on women's empowerment</b></p>
    <p>When Lydia Cacho realized how many women needed help and advice, she decided to start a support group. The support group later evolved into a maximum-security shelter for women and children; a formal institution called El Centro Integral de Atención a las Mujeres, in Cancun. El Centro is a non-profit organization funded by donations whose staff is composed of professionals in defense of victims. Thanks to her high-security shelter, Cacho provides a safe space for survivors of trafficking, domestic violence, and other forms of abuse and exploitation to access health, legal and other support services. El Centro helps the victim with legal assistance, and they take all the cases from the beginning to the end. The survivors can remain in the facility for one year to one year and a half to get the psychological treatment they deserve and protection from the predators. Further, the shelter has the objective to find a safe place for victims of abuse and takes the responsibility to train them to reintegrate into society with work skills to be independent and feel free again. The Cancun center for aid to women and their children has been recognized as one of the best aid centers in Mexico. Lydia’s mission through this shelter is to advocate for the endowment of women in health and education.</p>
    <p><b>Conclusion</b></p>
    <p>In conclusion, promoting gender equality and strengthening women's rights is essential for sustainable development. People like Lydia María Cacho Rìbeiro should serve as an example to overcome inequality. Her work and her bravery helped many girls to come forward and bring their oppressors to justice and take back control of their lives. She dedicated her years as an activist to the cause by deciding to denounce on paper the suffering of women, even if that required putting herself in danger. Through her book, she sent many criminals to prison and gave voice to many victims in different parts of the country. Additionally, after her detention following the publication of “The Demons of Eden,” journalism was decriminalized; hence, journalists could no longer be held accountable for defamation and libel. Her court case, together with the media reaction, and the intervention of political actors, initiated a process of change. Thanks to her book, also legislation concerning child pornography has evolved considerably. Particularly in a country like Mexico, which is one of the most dangerous countries in the world for journalism, the work of Lydia is essential. The prizes she was accredited with and the international visibility she received acted as a shield and provided her protection. To conclude, Lydia Cacho firmly believes in the importance of electronic media and its decisive role in accessing information. She criticizes media monopoly, one of the most significant problems in Mexico, and fight to keep community radio stations alive as they are vital for the freedom of information and to spread the news across the country.</p>

The story of Lydia María Cacho Rìbeiro

We advocate for eliminating violence and peaceful conflict resolution in the hope of eliminating violence in the world. Starting young, we are educating children about the effects of bullying and the promotion of wellbeing activities to nurture the mental health of people.

Eliminating Violence & Peaceful Conflict Resolution

thumbnail_paz.png

paz.png

<p>"Tolerance is respect, acceptance and appreciation of the rich diversity of our world's cultures, our forms of expression, and ways of being human." UNESCO's 1995 Declaration of Principles on Tolerance.</p>
    <p>In celebration of International Day of Tolerance, the #InHerShoes/#EnSusZapatos campaign will be sharing this space with our LGBTQAI+ community and their stories of what it means to come out in society. For those that haven’t had the chance to showcase their true essence, we see you and acknowledge the great bravery and courage that comes with accepting yourself fully.</p>
    <p>“Transgender people – and particularly Black and Latina transgender women – are marginalized, stigmatized and criminalized in our country.” said Rodrigo Heng-Lehtinen, deputy executive director for the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE). (Stories)</p>
    <p>In countries in Latin America, like Colombia, the life expectancy for a transgnder woman is estimated between 35 and 41 years old (read the article linked in our bio for more information!).  This is not good enough and we need to find solutions to eliminate all violence against all women and work to ensure transgender women, like all women, are also safe to live freely.</p>
    <p>Intersex persons (born with reproductive/sexual anatomy that doesn’t fit the standard of being a female/male) are vulnerable to abuse based on ignorance or bigotry about their bodies. Intersex victims of domestic violence face similar or higher rates when compared to the general population.</p>
    <p>The #InHerShoes/#EnSusZapatos campaign extends beyond cis-hetero women (born biologically in their gender/sex) and aims to spread awareness about violence against womxn+ domestically and globally. Womxn+ is an inclusive term that is used to address cis women, transgender and intersex women, non-binary people, and female-identified individuals. Join our fight for women’s rights and protections by participating in our actions! </p>
    <p>Collaborative post written by Educacion Diversa’s team: Founder, Lauren Cannell @lozzlepop; Director of the Women’s Rights Department, Nikky Suárez @nic_gin; and Ambassador, Bianca Herrera @_.biancaherrera._ with edits from our Director of Marketing and Strategy, Lylia Hafiz @lyliafz_</p>

Violence Against Transgender Womxn+

Our Inclusion department focuses on showcasing diversity in all aspects of life. Through embedding inclusive practices in classrooms from a young age we aim to eliminate stigmas surrounding difference and ensure each persons individuality and uniqueness are celebrated.

Inclusion

thumbnail_inclu.png

inclu.png

Contribute to inclusive communities by enabling people who have difficulty reading emotions and understanding social interactions with the social skills they need to grow up healthy and safe with access to the same opportunities and rights as others.  



For many years our Founder Lauren worked with children with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities and autism spectrum disorder.  In her work as a sexual and reproductive health educator, one of her roles was managing a social skills framework called SoSAFE, which was designed as an abuse prevention tool for people with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities and peoples on the autism spectrum.  It categorises the people in one’s life and then gives a framework of talk and touch boundaries which people can live by to ensure they understand what is ok and not ok when it comes to socialising with the different people in their lives.  As part of this work she discovered a book by Susan Diamond called Social Rules for Kids – The Top 100 social rules kids need to succeed and after reading it cover to cover decided that this is such an important book and teaches such critical skills for survival and it’s not out there because everyone lives in a digital world, so she decided to work with Chuka, an intern at the time from Mongolia to develop a series of 100 videos to accompany Susan’s book, so that people who had a preference for visual learning or learning from the digital space would also have access to learning these skills.  
One of the most significant problems for people on the autism spectrum is difficulty in social interaction. The level of difficulty can be very severe (as it usually is for people with no spoken language) or relatively mild.  Even neuro-typical people and people who have experienced trauma may have mild-moderate difficulties with social communication, however, can lead to major problems with relationships, school, and employment.
 Social skills are important for building relationships, making friends and learning. With time and support, autistic children can develop social skills. Strategies like role-play and video-modelling can help autistic children develop social skills.  Living through the digital wave and now with the covid-19 pandemic, there are so many challenges to learn how to socialise appropriately and of course there’s reduced opportunity to socialise which makes it even harder for people to practice social interactions.
We hope to use these videos to support people in learning the rules and boundaries when it comes to interacting with other people in their lives to ensure we’re contributing as best we can to creating inclusive communities that support people who find it difficult to read social norms.


Teaching people the social rules and social skills and to survive in the social world around us.

Social skills for success

A cultural insightful learning journey that provides people with the opportunity to contribute socially to lower socio-economic communities with the aim to create more inclusive communities, whilst touring around Colombia and getting to know the people and culture.

Background of the Project
Initially Educar Viajando was a project completed by Lauren Cannell (our founder) and her husband Jose Alejandro Ruiz Forero intended to pilot the art-based workshops designed by the team at Educacion Diversa.  We worked with foundations across Colombia to deliver capacity building workshops in the areas of human rights, sexual and reproductive health and eliminating violence with peaceful conflict resolution.  Educar Viajando is evolving to a project that provides people from developed countries with an opportunity to travel and empower people in underdeveloped countries.  Educar Viajando focuses on taking people to lower socio-economic communities to provide their skills and knowledge to educate and empower the children and adolescents in the areas of human rights, sexual and reproductive health and eliminating violence with peaceful conflict resolution.  Educacion Diversa collaborates with organisations on the ground that are working with children and adolescents and gives art based workshops that engage the children in art-based activities in our areas of focus or alternatively, we provide capacity building sessions for the teachers and parents who work with the children in these institutions, so they can facilitate the art activities and educational workshops themselves.   

Being a volunteer has lots of benefits. It can bring meaning and purpose to your life, while increasing your self-esteem and wellbeing. Volunteering can also relieve stress and alleviate symptoms of depression. As well as having a positive impact on your community, volunteering can improve your relationships.

One of the benefits of volunteering is connecting with other compassionate people and you’ll not only be making a positive impact in the community you’re volunteering in, but spending time with the people who matter most in your life.

Educar Viajando is planned for 2025 and we’ve chosen Colombia as the first country to take a group of people around.  There are many reasons why we have chosen Colombia, but here are a few:

1. The population living below the poverty line is 34 percent. Though the economic growth of Colombia is among one of the world’s emerging economies, more than three out of ten Colombians still live in poor conditions. Colombia is also the world’s seventh most inequitable country.

2. Colombia’s unemployment rate grew to 9.4 percent in 2017, making it the country with the highest unemployment rate in Latin America after Venezuela. According to Colombia’s National Administrative Department of Statistics, another 8.5 percent of the population was underemployed in the last quarter of 2017.

3. Colombia has been experiencing violent internal conflicts for more than 50 years. Since 1985, over 5.9 million Colombians have been displaced. People then migrate to urban areas and create informal settlements on the cities’ borders.

4. There are about 3.8 million households, nearly 30 percent of all families in Colombia, that do not have adequate homes according to Ministry of Housing estimates. About 662,146 families are homeless, which is five percent of the population.

We hope through taking people to poorer communities and giving them the opportunity to use their skills and knowledge to empower others, we can create a cycle for the children within these communities to advocate for change and be motivated to continue their education with the aim to break their cycles of poverty.


### Main Goal of the Project
The main goal of this project is empowering children in underdeveloped communities by giving them art-based education in the areas of human rights, sexual and reproductive health and eliminating violence.

Educar Viajando

Our Legal & Research department facilitates the sharing of academic articles to ensure that people who may not be able to afford to access journals and other publications have access to important reference materials to use in informing their studies. They also work to showcase law reform around the world relating to the objectives.

Legal & Research

thumbnail_leg.png

leg.png

Our resident Dr Diversa opens the dialogue to answer questions that young people may be ashamed to ask but are extremely common. We share information regarding healthy sexual development to help young people understand their own bodies and keeping healthy and safe.

Sexual & Reproductive Health

thumbnail_health.png

health.png

Dr. Diversa aims to directly link an anonymous individual seeking personal sexual help with a qualified health professional who can respond to questions and concerns. The goal is to create a safe space for sexual and reproductive health discussion on a peronsal yet anonymous level. 
  <br/><br/>
  Dr. Diversa aims to promote healthy discourse with regard to an individual’s sexual and reproductivehealth. In doing so, the health rights of the inquiring individuals will be protected.
 <br/><br/>  
In many parts of the world, government officials, school principals, teachers and parents are not convinced of the need for sexuality education and are reluctant to provide it, because it is believed to promote sexual activity.  In fact, no study to date has found evidence that providing young people with sexual and reproductive health information and education results in increased sexual activity. 
 <br/><br/>  
It has long been recognized that countries that have a more open and positive attitude toward sexuality have better sexual health outcomes.
 <br/><br/>  
Sexuality education exposes young boys and girls to material that not only reduces their risk of unplanned pregnancy and disease, but also enlightens and empowers them to make good consent-based decisions about their bodies and lives. 
 <br/><br/>  
Due to the different levels of access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health education, we have decided to start this space facilitated by our medical professionals and allied health professionals within the organisation.  We hope to enable people with a safe space that they can explore age-appropriate questions and answers to ensure they can have a safe and health sexual development or can support the safe and healthy sexual development of a minor in their care.  With the the lack of knowledge about consent and the need to negotiate it, there’s an increase in sexual abuse resulting in teenage pregnancies and the continuance of girls dropping out of school.
 <br/><br/>  
We want to change this by providing comprehensive sexual and reproductive health education via art-based activities because we believe there are 3 main benefits to providing it:
Prevention of sexually transmitted infections and blood born viruses;
Reduction in unplanned pregnancy and contribution to eliminating adolescent pregnancy; and
Empowerment against sexual violence and abuse through provision of consent education to children from an early age.
 <br/><br/>  
This project will give access to education or people regarding healthy sexual development and debunk myths about sexual and reproductive health education and initiatives.  


Dr Diversa

Our sustainability department aims to educate children around the world about SDGs, circular economies and biodiversity to help them to appreciate the world we live in and enable them to make informed decisions to protect their environment.

Sustainability

thumbnail_sust.png

sust.png

 <div class="full-center">
<div class="two-cols text-left">

<p>
The project aims to generalize education on economic, social and environmental issues. Indeed, it is important to make children aware of the stakes of sustainable development, from their youngest age and at all stages of their schooling, because it is a decisive step in the construction of their future role and responsibility as citizens of tomorrow.
</p><p>
Indeed, more exactly the idea, is to raise awareness of the Sustainable Development Goals among children ( from 6 to 11) and teenagers (from 12 to 18) and thus enable them to deepen their knowledge of global challenges. The activities, games and pedagogical tools will be adapted according to the age group, allowing to approach the different sub-goals of each SDG in a playful way.
</p>

</div>
<div class="two-cols"><img src="https://educacion-diversa.s3.amazonaws.com/SD_Gs4_b292e66ae2.jpg" alt=""/>
</div>
</div>

<div class="full-center">
<div class="two-cols center">

<img src="https://educacion-diversa.s3.amazonaws.com/SD_Gs2_99aa8f372d.jpg?updated_at=2023-03-23T00:59:32.798Z" alt=""/>
</div>
<div class="two-cols text-right">
<p>
 We are aware of the fact that Gender Equality is a driver of sustainable development and crucial to achieve 2030 Agenda. Our activities will help to explain to children how and why gender matters to all SDGs.
</p><p>
Our art-based educational materials will be published on Educacion Diversa website where anyone can access them for free. Furthermore, the idea is to provide these educational activities to teachers from different schools so that they can organize workshops towards the importance of the Sustainable Development Goals.
</p>
</div>
</div>


<div class="full-center">
<div>
<p>
It is very important to provide access to health care, good nutrition, education and support women to be active and key participants in the development of their communities and society in general.

We invite you to review  the UN Women’s theme  for International Women’s Day, 8 March 2023 (IWD 2023):
<a href="https://www.unwomen.org/en/news-stories/announcement/2022/12/international-womens-day-2023-digitall-innovation-and-technology-for-gender-equality?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIjevhmvm7_QIVxevICh1O1AEdEAAYASAAEgJx6vD_BwE" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">“DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality”</a>

</p><p>
Likewise, we would like to encourage you to review important resources on Gender Equality in the following
<a href="https://www.iadb.org/en/research-and-data/regional-policy-dialogue/gender-equality" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">link</a>
</p>
</div>
</div>

SDGs and Women

Art is at the centre of Educacion diversa. It is accessible to all, displaying clear universal messages. Art and creativity is also proven to have therapeutic benefits and has a positive impact on the development of the neurological pathways in the brain which supports positive mental wellbeing.

thumbnail_art.png

art.png

<p>To start this blog post, it is important to define what gender equality is. Quite directly, gender equality means that men and women should have the same rights and obligations. In other words, all responsibilities, rights and opportunities must be equally granted to all genders, without any type of restriction based on whether a given person was born male or female.</p>

<p>But when we talk about gender equality, we always end up focusing more on women than men and why this happens? The answer is quite simple: we focus on women because they are in a much more vulnerable position in society. Women do not have the same rights as men and therefore are more likely to experience violations. Women are also more likely to experience violence, abuse, harassment and death than men.</p>

<p>And why is it so necessary? Gender equality, besides being a fundamental human right, is essential to achieve peaceful societies, with full human potential and sustainable development. Moreover, it has been shown that empowering women spurs productivity and economic growth. Women's empowerment and gender equality have proven to be beneficial for the economy, for business, for a country's happiness, and even for men!</p>

<p>It is important for women to be active in society because they have the freedom to choose their religion, language, work, and other activities. Empowered women are more economically productive and thus more economically secure, which in turn leads to more stable and successful families. This cycle promotes economic growth and development, raising standards of living, and creating a more prosperous world.</p>

<p>In addition, when women are living safe, fulfilled and productive lives, they can reach their full potential. Another important fact is that women's empowerment helps reduce domestic violence by promoting and valuing them.</p> 

<p>Gender equality is the basis for building a society free of prejudice and discrimination. It is essential for economic prosperity and societies that value women and men as equal are safer and healthier. Empowering women and closing the gender gap are central to ending poverty, improving food security, improving health and reducing inequalities - Women spend around 2.5x more of their time on unpaid care and domestic work than men. It makes sense that because women take on more of the domestic responsibilities, it becomes harder to work outside of the home. Besides that, when women are provided education and continued skill-development, they are less reliant on government assistance. The effects are passed down to their children and will have an impact on economic growth for years to come.</p>

<p>Also, companies receive great benefits from increasing employment and leadership opportunities for women. In an article from Wealth Matters, UN Women estimated that companies with three or more women in senior management functions score higher in all dimensions of organizational performance. When we empower women, we increase the skilled workforce, local economies are strengthened, businesses do better, and families rise out of poverty and create generational wealth and self-sufficiency. We all benefit.</p?

<p>In recent years, gender inequality has become a recurrent issue. The struggle for a world in which men and women are free to make their own choices, enjoying the same responsibilities, rights and opportunities, intensified in the mid-twentieth century, driven mainly by the feminist movement.</p>

<p>In this sense, with the aim of breaking these barriers and achieving equity between the sexes, education becomes an important tool.</p> 

<p>Because schools are important spaces for training, reflection, sociability, coexistence and interactions of individuals in society, talking about gender is essential to educate people for a more egalitarian society and to face the numerous inequalities, discrimination and violence that harm and destroy the lives of so many people. Education is of paramount importance in the process of socialization and human formation, and can be decisive in building critical awareness or can also reproduce dominant ideologies. In this way, the school ends up contributing to the development of the process of awareness, learning and to the formation of more ethical citizens. It is up to the school not only the process of teaching to read or write, but also to help in the critical development of the human being, contributing to the elimination of all forms of prejudice.
In order to have a quality education, the school cannot ignore the world it is in, it cannot remain silent on issues that are so important for life in society. On the contrary, it is the duty of educational policy to promote equality and non-discrimination.</p>

<p>The school environment is still permeated by stereotypes that harm development and limit everyone's possibilities. The traditional education in which we live, separates and creates distinctions between boys and girls through actions and activities, collaborating with a segregated and oppressive society. Given this, it is from this perspective, facing inequalities, positively recognizing diversity, and building a fairer society, which highlights the need to teach about gender, race, sexuality and other inequalities that mark different realities.</p>

<p>Building gender equality at school is to prevent discrimination processes from occurring. However, it is important that it be practiced from the first years of school life. The teacher's participation is necessary so that the classroom is not a space that generates and reproduces a discriminatory education, but rather a space for building equality, as we know that the school contributes significantly to maintaining the standards established in society.</p>




Why educating children around the world about Gender Equality is important

Our womens rights department is dedicated to engaging men to lead the fight to eliminate gender-based violence. We are raising awareness of the global problem of Femicide through preserving the memories of victims and making thier stories known.

Women's Rights

thumbnail_w-r.png

w-r.png

<div class="full-center">
<div class="two-cols text-left">

<p>
In 2014, Emma Watson began her #HeForShe campaign, which became a pivotal moment not only to protect and advocate for women’s rights, but she was calling for men also to be held accountable.
</p><p>
In 2016, we started EnSusZapatos (InHerShoes) where in Colombia, we invited men to literally put on a pair of women’s heels and walk for 1 kilometer on the 25.11 International Day to Eliminate Violence Against Women. The purpose of the walk is to present a visualization of one of the different forms of violence that women face every day for the simple fact of being a woman.
</p><p>
In 2021, we soft-launched the campaign again to raise awareness globally and turn it into a digital campaign to get a broader reach. We invited men to take a scripted pledge in which they promised to call out and confront disrespect against women and sexist comments and behavour, this resulted in 30 video pledges which we launched to raise awareness about the problem throughout our 16 days of activism.
</p>

</div>
<div class="two-cols"><img src="https://educacion-diversa.s3.amazonaws.com/In_Her_Shoes_1_df98954422.jpg" alt=""/>
</div>
</div>

<div class="full-center">
<div class="two-cols center">

<img src="https://educacion-diversa.s3.amazonaws.com/In_Her_Shoes_2_bac1ce5b3d.jpg" alt=""/>
</div>
<div class="two-cols text-right">
<p>
This year we want to continue to ask men to pledge, but let them speak from their heart so they can really draw on how emotional talking about the important women and girls in their lives, they can really want to contribute towards gender equality and in turn, help eliminate gender-based violence.
</p><p>
We want to raise awareness to the global problem and take action by inviting men to show their support. We will also use the content generated from the campaign to petition for change and provide education to men via our online community by inviting them to sign a contract throughout the campaign. This contract asks them to agree to stick up for women and regardless of who, agree to a zero tolerance for violence of any form against women.
</p><p>

</div>
</div>







<div class="full-center">
<div>

<p>
For the month of November, our volunteers will recruit 30 male participants from different countries to create pledge videos in different languages. One video will be released each day of the whole month. Our ambassadors will be responsible for recruiting 30 male participants who will create pledge videos, promoting a new country and language to eventually creating a full video collection of the 30-yard dash whilst passing on the women’s shoes to the next participant to bring awareness to violence against women. The deadlines for the completion of all videos will be on October 1.
</p><p>
Men will make their pledge holding a pair of women’s shoes and stating how they will help lead the solution in their own words and why they want to help. They will end their pledge with the words “Will you out yourself In Her Shoes and help Educacion Diversa eliminate gender-based violence?” Then they will nominate another man or just men in general, if they don’t have someone who can continue by creating their own pledge and so on. The next participant will make the illusion of grabbing a pair of women’s shoe’s from the previous participant in an attempt to create a video series.
</p>

</div>
</div>

<div class="full-center">
<h2></h2>
</div>

<div class="full-center">
<div class="two-cols">

<iframe width="100%" height="300" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Opl0JMTdwtk" title="InHerShoes" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen>
</iframe>

</div>


<div class="two-cols center">

<iframe width="100%" height="300" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9vi19_pu5s8" title="Brad Jobe" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen>
</iframe>

</div>
</div>

<div class="full-center">
<div class="two-cols center">

<iframe width="100%" height="300" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Pfie1jmLM2c" title="Brian Cannell" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen>
</iframe>

</div>

<div class="two-cols center">

<iframe width="100%" height="300" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qCHz8mS2YPs" title="Max Radclife" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen>
</iframe>

</div>

</div>

The Campaign

InHerShoes

Raising global awareness to the problem of femicide and the impact it’s causing on society and in particular boys.  We provide education about the facts and evidence that support that it is an intentional act of killing a woman, almost always by a man and use art installations around the world in public spaces to raise awareness to the global problem of femicide and to recognise and remember women that are victims of femicide with the hope they’re never forgotten, and their voices continue to be heard.

Create a Femicide Tree to remember victims of femicide in different countries and raise awareness and open conversations with people about femicide while the tree is being created to encourage people to confront gender inequality when they see it with the hope to eliminate gender-based violence. 

The Femicide Tree project arose from Lauren Cannell, the founder living in a region of Colombia that had an extremely high rate of femicide and violence against women.  When she found out that a 3-year-old girl was sexually abused by her own mother and step-father before being taken by them to the hospital where she died later that day of her extensive injuries.  Nobody called the police; the neighbours heard screams and did nothing and this little 3 year old was left to defend herself against monsters.  It didn’t even make the national news, let alone international news.  Lauren felt disgusted that this little girl had lost her life, and nobody was there to ensure she got justice and with this she did the first Femicide Tree in Bucaramanga, Colombia.  
Violence against women is a major public health h problem all around the world and a violation of human rights.  It was in fact the reason behind the creation of women’s rights, because of the horrific crimes being committed against women, purely because of their gender. For women in many parts of the world, violence is a leading cause of injury, and disability, as well as a risk factor for other physical, mental, sexual and reproductive health problems. Violence has long-term consequences for these women and their children, as well as social and economic costs for all society.

Femicide is generally understood to involve intentional murder of women because they are women, but broader definitions include any killings of women or girls.  A key contributor to femicide and violence against women is gender inequality. Femicide is increasingly recognized as a global, widespread and persistent human rights’ violation. The way in which nation states or governments respond to femicide has become the focus of international attention because no country is free from this type of violence.



The history of violence against women helps to explain its normalisation and embedment into societies around the world to this day. Domestic violence was acceptable as “discipline” as late as 1878 in the UK and is still acceptable as a form of discipline in some countries around the world where women and girls are treated as a commodity.  Marital rape only recently became a crime in India whilst again in some countries it’s still not recognised as a violation of a woman’s right to her body.  In Australia, only in 2022 have laws been passed to mandate the teaching of consent within the national school curriculum and that was driven by a group of girls who had over 200,000 women sign it and disclose their non-consentual sexual experiences, so it came with a bunch of trauma and a reminder that their were many women who didn’t get to sign the petition.  

This undoubtedly influences the attitudes of people today. In many societies, femicide is almost universally acceptable under the ‘right’ circumstances – this results in many criminal justice systems writing off the killing of women as ‘cultural traditions’, perpetuating the idea that gender-based violence is appropriate, and even inevitable.
 
We hope to complete the Femicide Tree installation in as many countries around the world as we can and remind people of the global problem and need to solve gender-based violence including Femicide and create conversation about what it means for gender equality.  If we don’t talk about femicide it won’t be seen as a problem and no-one will help us solve it.  We need to do better for the women and girls around the world, and this is how we want to help!


Femicide Tree

Empowering young girls and raising awareness to them that they can be STAR (Scientists,
Tech Experts, Astronauts, Researchers) through art based activities that engage them in
digital technologies and other STEM related topics.


<p>
Engaging girls early can bridge the gender digital gap at an early age and we want to act on the mitigation of these biases and stereotypes. Using Art, we hope to increase the participation of girls and women in these areas of expertise, by getting them excited about these areas and keeping them aware that they can be and do whatever they want. The sky is not the limit and neither is their gender.
</p>
<p>
The OECD has studies showing the role of gender stereotypes in these careers where young students are as good as boys in hard sciences but still don't choose this path because of bias and stereotypes. 
</p>
<p>
The Women are STAR project intends to start the integration of digital technologies in women’s and girls’ empowerment strategies. Also, it will create a win-win situation offering teachers and schools activities related to careers and gender equality for free in exchange for the collection of data by teachers of kids' perception while doing the activity.
</p>
<p>
This data will be an important tool to understand what are the gender data gaps in that environment and develop an educational toolkit fostering girl’s inclusion in the digital world. There is also a possibility to develop a policy brief to use the results of the survey and create recommendations targeting the achievement of SDGs.
</p>

<h2>Main Goal of the Project</h2>
<p>
The goal is to foster the mitigation of gender bias and stereotypes about professions and technologies and to stimulate children to know more about women “forgotten” in history and measure gender stereotypes in young students (from 05 – 10 depending on where the schools will be located) regarding STEM and ICT careers, whilst raising awareness to educators and children about the gender digital gap between girls and boys since an early age.</p>



<h2>What our partner organisation said when they tried it</h2>
_<p>I would like to thank you for the opportunity and partnership and say that we have had very good feedback as Susan talked about the girls' reflection with the activity. As you know, at first I was a bit reticent about how much value the activity could generate, but it was very worthwhile running the activity. I appreciate you bringing this proposal and I am leaving the doors open for future activities together, in whatever we can evolve with these objectives.  Zé Seleme - CEO Endeleza</p>_


<h2>How can you join the project?</h2>
<p>We are seeking your assistance to pilot the project within your classroom or school to enable us to collect data about the effectiveness to ensure the toolkit we publish has a positive impact for girls globally and is well informed via the pilot program.</p>

<h2>What you get from us?</h2>
<p>The FREE colouring-in pages to use with your students and when the toolkit is published, FREE access to use the toolkit on-goingly with the students within your organisation</p>

<h2>What do we ask of you?</h2>
<p>All we ask is that each teacher  who completes the activities provides a testimony reflective of their overall observation and the students complete a short survey before and after completing the activity.</p>  

Women are STAR

<p>
The petition will start on September 27, 2023, and we will be collecting signatures and story entries for 6 months. 
</p><p>
The collected signatures and the storybook from the area of Australia will be presented to MPs from Australia to advocate for gender equality education to be officially included in the national curriculum(ACARA) on September 18, 2024; International Equal Pay Day.
</p><p>
We encourage everyone to sign the petition however we like to remind the focus will be on the ACT(Australian Capital Territory). No matter where you are from the world, we would like to hear your story. 
</p><p>
We want to ensure that all signatures and stories are legitimate and that the voices of those who are eligible to participate are heard. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation in this matter.
</p><p>
We take the safety and well-being of all participants very seriously and require written consent from individuals under the age of 18 alongside their parents or legal guardians.

<p>
Gender inequality in Australia can change and change starts with us!
</p><p>
Gender inequality in Australia is an undeniable reality. Gender bias begins early in life, as evidenced by the SBS Australia Report (2017) which shows that 98% of girls feel unfairly treated compared to boys. Sexism is pervasive and negatively affects young women's experiences in schools. Unfair bias permeates all corners of our lives, whether at home, at school, or at work.
</p><p>
The Status of Women Report Card 2023 reveals a gender pay gap emerging immediately after graduation, reﬂecting the need for urgent action. Discriminatory attitudes perpetuate gender inequality and must be addressed through educational reforms and awareness campaigns.
</p><p>
We must address the root cause of this issue by challenging sexism in schools and teaching our children to not only recognize but also actively counter gender bias.
</p><p>
Together, let’s ensure that gender equality becomes a key part of the Australian education system.
</p><p>


Join us by signing our petition addressed to MPs around Australia. 
</p><p>
We urge them to prioritize gender equality as an essential aspect of education and guarantee that every student is given the tools to not only ﬁght back against gender bias but also actively build a generation that sees gender equality as the norm rather than perpetuating sexism.
</p><p>
Let us help our kids grow up in a world without sexism. A world without sexism is not only beneﬁcial for our children but also for the entirety of humanity. By promoting gender equality, we strive towards a fairer world where everyone can benefit from equal opportunities and rights.
</p><p>
To truly make a difference with our petition, it is crucial to have 15,000 signatures. This can be achieved by approaching individuals who share our passion for the cause and requesting their support. Additionally, sharing the petition on various social media platforms and urging our acquaintances and followers to sign and disseminate it amongst their connections can be a compelling way to generate momentum. By collaborating and amplifying our message, we can gather the attention we need to bring about meaningful change. It is vital to remember that each signature holds significance and contributes towards achieving our collective goal.   
</p><p>
Your signature on this petition can make a significant impact on the future.

<p>
We are collecting stories from individuals aged 18 and above from all around the world to help demonstrate why gender equity education must be incorporated into the Australian school system.
</p><p>
If you have experienced sexism at work, school, or any other environment, we want to hear about it. Your story matters. Together, we can achieve positive change and prevent future generations from having the same experience.
</p><p>
Let’s show and tell the world why our kids need to learn about sexism in schools.