Action-Research for the Global Boyhood Initiative on stereotypes, gender roles and bullying

Duration March 2022 – March 2023

Partners Plan International Italia, Bocconi University and Chime for Change Gucci

Funding Equimundo and Kering Foundation

Context

The Global Boyhood Initiative, launched by Equimundo and the Kering Foundation in collaboration with Plan International, Bocconi University and with the support of Gucci’s Chime For Change, aims to support children aged 4-13, the adults in their lives and the institutions in which they live, to promote a healthier concept of childhood.

The initiative aims to guide children and young people to:

  • Share their emotions in a healthy ways
  • Accept and connect with others
  • Stand up and speak out against bullying and inequalities
  • Break free from stereotypes

The programme has already been implemented in the United States and Mexico, ARCO and Plan Italia Onlus are currently implementing it in Italy. In each country, different actions are planned to achieve the objective of the initiative, including both the production of scientific reports on local situations and the creation of awareness-raising campaigns.

 

General Objective

The Inclusive Development Unit has been involved to conduct a study on the ways in which gender roles influence children and young people between the ages of 4 and 13 in Italy. The aim is to provide empirical evidence and recommendations to enable the Kering Foundation and Equimondo to have a greater impact in the programmatic development of future initiatives within the Global Boyhood Initiative.

 

Our contribution

The Inclusive Develoment Unit contributed to the study under the initiative through:

  • The production of research report drafted thanks to the analysis of secondary data, through the analysis of the existing literature regarding the state of childhood in Italy, with particular attention to the dimensions of children’s well-being, their education, family life, social and digital life but also to the impact that gender norms and stereotypes have on these same dimensions.
  • Creative Focus Group Discussion (FGD) with about 40 children between the ages of 6 and 10. Through games and playful activities, the children were stimulated to express their opinions on the norms of traditional masculinity and equality prevalent in their contexts. The FGDs were realised with the support of various associations working with children in the area.
  • The production of a mapping of the main Italian actors active in the field of children.

 

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