Activity of Association for Gender Equality and Liberty - A.L.E.G.

Activities

Our key strategy is to educate boys and young men on gender equality and encourage them to think outside the frame of traditional stereotypes about women and men. We educate them to be able to recognise their emotions and to find non-aggressive ways of expressing negative emotions. Partner violence prevention activities are also most effective when addressed at children and young people. In terms of motivating adult men, our strategy is to offer services and activities for couples, with the aim of preventing partner violence and improving partner and family relationships. We also encourage men to take part in family tasks and develop their caring skills.

• "Unlearning violence" February 2008 - Educational sessions in local schools (CFR High School) on combating gender-based violence as learnt behaviour. Participants: 54 male and female students. Partner: Sibiu Schools Inspectorate.Part of the International Campaign "16 International Days of Combating Violence Against Women", December 2008.
• "Indifference allows violence to happen" - Painting and photography, organised in the lobby of the Children and Youth "Gong" Theatre. The target group of the event were children and young people, with the purpose to prevent violence and acceptance of violence among the younger generation. Two local artists, male and female, participated in the exhibition: photographer Robert Csizer and painter Catrinel Ioan.
• Gender Equality Festival- 5th session, February 2010         "Relationships Cookbook" -  we collected from local teenagers, boys and girls, experiences of teenage relationships and edited a booklet distributed free of charge during the Festival Forum theatre - a form of educational theatre in which spectators change the plot and replace the actors to solve a problem played out by actors; we wrote plays exploring gender stereotypes , gender roles and relationship patterns; there were 2 performances: one at the Children and Youth "Gong" Theatre and one at the Art Cafe; in total, we had over 100 participants, mainly university students, both male and female.
• Living Library - an event that challenged prejudices like "Roma women are lazy" or "men cannot raise children". It operates like a regular library except that the participants "borrow" a conversation partner - a living book on a controversial category; 10 male participants.
• Choose your words! - street action where couples were able to write their messages with the help of human letters; 60 participants.
• Couples in documentary film -  Free screenings of documentary films dealing with difficult relationships offered by ASTRA Film Studio; 55 participants.
• Student Talks, 2010     Educational sessions- interactive weekly sessions involving over 40 children on topics like: self-esteem and self-image, stereotypes and prejudice, respect, healthy relations vs. abusive relations, violence. Partner: ASTRA County Library- Children's department.
• Feed your family bread, NOT violence!, December 2010, Local awareness campaign targeting men in particular. 100,000 loaves of bread were sold with stickers bearing the message: Feed your family bread, NOT violence!

Conferences

Gender Equality Festival , 4th session 2007 Creative workshops and educational sessions for 100 students between the ages of 14 and 18 (of which 60% were male) on the topic of gender-based discrimination, in the context of the European Year of Equal Opportunities For All. Partner: Constructions and Architecture School "Carol I" Sibiu

Materials

• Articles published in local media (e.g. Sibiu 100%) on gender roles.
• We have developed a set of lesson plans for educational activities (used in sessions in schools and summer camps) for girls and boys.
• We have edited a brochure called Relationship Cookbook with stories contributed by young women and men.