Survey of Gender Equality in Schoolbooks

23 February 2006

The Mileva Maric-Einstein Women�s Studies and Research Center started a survey on gender equality principle in the mother tongue textbooks for elementary schools in Serbia.

Svenka Savic, Coordinator of the Centre, says that the survey will research the stereotypes on gender roles of men and women in Serbian Language textbooks used in Vojvodina, with the goal to collect, systemize and describe examples of gender sensitive use of language in schoolbooks.

"We wish to put the spotlight on the need for changes in the way the schoolbooks are written, in order to raise the awareness on matters of gender equality in education, as well as the issues of otherness, stereotyped roles of male and female teachers and students in the schools�, said Savic.

She added that questionnaires will be distributed among the teachers in order to collect the material which will be used to explain the role of teachers in the maintenance and overcoming of gender stereotypes present in students.

The �Schoolbooks Gender Perspectives� is part of the international project �Gender Sensitive Schoolbooks and Educational Practice in the Balkans�, which includes all countries of former Yugoslavia.