Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1694859607132.pdf (Australia)
Supplementary Submission 23.1 Emerging evidence on changing gender attitudes and behaviours As documented in the peer reviewed journal Gender and Development (2013), young adolescents were found to undergo statistically significant changes to gender attitudes and behaviours through participation in Save the Children’s CHOICES program, compared to children in a control group.
Through the program, children’s perceptions of gender roles were found to broaden, including the role of women as wage earners and men as nurturers.

The study found that “it is probable that a longer-term intervention could have sustainable impact”.

The program works with very young adolescents in child clubs to explore the following themes: • Gender inequity and power; including the recognition that gender equity begins with small actions that earn respect from others.
Boys can be respected even if they treat girls as equals.

Social norms restrict boys from treating girls as equals.

Boys and girls can express emotions and realise their hopes and dreams.

Boys can empower girls to achieve their dreams.

• • • • • Girls can empower themselves to achieve their dreams.
The study found that implementation of the CHOICES curriculum through schools, alongside delivery of a complementary program for parents, “could make a significant contribution to efforts to achieve greater equity between men and women in areas such as education, household decision- making, and sexual relationships”.

Given the emerging nature of these approaches, investment in longitudinal research to establish the evidence base for longer-term effectiveness, sustainability and impact is also needed.
Further detail at: Lundgren R, Beckman M, Chaurasiya SP, Suubhedi B and Kerner B (2013) Whose turn to do the dishes?

Transforming gender attitudes and behaviours among very young adolescents in Nepal, Gender & Development, 21 (1): 127-145, available at: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13552074.2013.767520 Official Development Assistance - promising approaches in gender equality programming SIDA (Swedish development agency) undertook an evaluation of its gender equality programming in 2010.
Among the report’s recommendations is that the agency should more consistently and systematically address men in its work in order to i) promote support for, and reduce potential backlash, of women’s increased equality, ii) identify and address men’s gender disadvantages.

More information: http://www.oecd.org/derec/sweden/46143903.pdf DANIDA (Danish development agency) undertook an evaluation of its gender equality programming in 2013.
The evaluation found promising results related to gender equality in programming approaches such as: • Use of special incentives (such as feeding programs) targeted particularly at girls and their • families resulting in increased school enrolment by girls; Consciously targeting both women and men - found to benefit women by increasing ‘their confidence, ability to earn an income, to contribute to food security and participate in decision-making on smaller production issues’.
More information: http://um.dk/en/~/media/UM/Danish- site/Documents/Danida/Resultater/Eval/201302Gender.pdf Human rights issues confronting women and girls in the Indian Ocean – Asia Pacific regionSubmission 23 - Supplementary Submission