The Swedish Equality Ombudsman Equinet Seminar – Gender Equality in Education 19 May 2016 Anna Werner, anna.werner@do.se

How does the Equality Ombudsman promote gender equality in education? The ombudsman’s overall goal is to promote equal rights and possibilities and combat discrimination.

The legal base for the work carried out by the Equality Ombudsman Act concerning the Equality Ombudsman (2008:568) Gives the agency a broad mandate Discrimination Act (2008:567) Ban on discrimination based on seven grounds + positive action Parental Leave Act (1995:584) Ban on unfavourable treatment due to parental leave The equality ombudsman’s (DO) work is based on three laws. DO promotes and monitors the Discrimination Act through investigation of individual complaints and follow up on active measures to prevent discrimination the Parental Leave Act’s prohibition against mistreatment on the basis of parental leave. The protection against discrimination in based on civil law. The civil society can now also bring cases to court.

Two aspects of the discrimination act Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Prohibition of discrimination and reprisals Active measures to bring about equal rights and opportunities Chapter 2 If you attend a school, a preschool or some other activity regulated by the Education Act, the body responsible for that institution is prohibited to discriminate against any child, pupil or student participating in or applying for the activities. If an education provider becomes aware that a child, pupil or student participating in or applying for the providers’s activites considers that he or she has been subjected in connection with these activities to harassment or sexual harassment, the education provider is obliged to investigate the circumstances surrounding the alleged harassment and where appropriate take the measures that can reasonably be demanded to prevent harassment in the future. Chapter 3 Chapter 3 regards active measures to bring about equal rights and opportunities including promoting gender equality. According to chapter 3 in the discrimination act the education provider has a responsibility to take active steps to prevent harassment.

Chapter 3, Active Measures Active measures to bring about equal rights and opportunities in education Goal oriented (3rd chapter, section 14) Preventing and hindering harassment (3rd chapter, section 15) Equal treatment plan (3rd chapter, section 16) Chapter 3 regards active measures to bring about equal rights and opportunities. The education provider has a responsibility to required to take active steps to prevent harassment. This also applies if your are a student at a university or college. Chapter 3, section 14 Says that the education provider is to conduct goal-oriented work to actively promote equal rights and opportunities for children, pupils or students participating in or applying for the activities, regardless of sex, ethnicity, religion or other belief, disability or sexual orientation. Chapter 3, section 15 An education provider is to take measures to prevent and hinder any child, pupil or student who is participating in or applying for their activities from being subjected to harassment associated with sex, ethnicity, religion or other belief, disability or sexual orientation or to sexual harassment. Chapter 3, section 16 An education provider, as referred to in Section 14, is to draw up a plan each year containing an overview of the measures needed to (1) promote equal rights and opportunities for the children, pupils or students participating in or applying for the activities, regardless of sex, ethnicity, religion or other belief, disability or sexual orientation, and (2) prevent and hinder harassment referred to in Section 15. The plan is to contain an account of which of these measures the education provider intends to begin or implement during the coming year. An account of how the measures planned under the first paragraph have been implemented is to be included in the next year’s plan.

Education provider has to draw up a plan every year Equal treatment plan Education provider has to draw up a plan every year The plan has to contain overview of measures needed to promote equal rights and opportunities and prevent and hinder harassment Account of how the measures planned during the year have been implemented and what is planned for the next coming year. The discrimination act requires a yearly follow up of how the measures planned have been implemented. The follow-up should also include an evaluation if the activitis have had their supposed effect and that the activities for the following year should go hand in hand with the follow-up from previous year. Chapter 3 doesn’t regulate more in detail what the plan has to contain other than how the measures planned have been implemented.

”House model” Different tools for education providers in order for them to promote equal rights, one is the ”house model”. A good way to start a goal oriented work for equal rights. Used for reflections and discussion about education provider’s work. Purpose to discover where and when pupils are at risk of being discriminated or harassed. Combine with for an example interviews with puils, observations etc. Can be used by staff and together with pupils. It’s about finding /identifying where the risks and what is needed to prevent discrimination and harassment and promote equal rights. How to; Move from room to room and subject to subject. Do all pupil’s have the same possibilities to influence the education no ’s matter gender? Are all pupils seen/safe? Same for men/women, boys/girls? Transgender? Outing with school? Who uses the football pitch?

Mapping Introduction for new pupils Internet, social media Language, norms, stereotypes, harassment Contacts with pupil’s homes Internship The relationships between staff and pupils Outings and school trips Physical environment What is tolerated when it comes to harassment etc Kursitteraturläromedel, bibliotek School healthcare Planning education, courses and different subjects The social climate between pupils Rules and routines The school’s website Tests, results and grades Blanketter och andra dokument Another tool that helps to map education and how if can affect men/women differently is to this. * Communication. For example, is the language or norms that some pupils find discriminating? Norms when it comes to gender? How does staff communicate with each other, does the way they communicate say something about staff’s values when it comes to gender or sexual orientation? How does staff communicate with families? * School healthcare. What knowledge does staff have about sexual orientation? Gender, stereotypes? * Introduction. Are pupil’s introduced to school so their families feel welcome no matter constellation? * Competence of the staff. Does the staff have knowledge of the discrimination act. Do they know how to see and question their own teaching and if it differs related to gender? Knowledge on gender, sexual orientation and transgender?

Success factors / Main challenges Part of the ordinary work Systematic and goal-oriented ”The whole school" Analyse the situation Knowledge on discrimination and norms Norm critical Follow up! Part of ordinary work Committed education providers and principles. All staff, pupil’s and parent’s involvement. Systematic The equal treatment plan has be to be part of a process that’s part of the education provider’s work. Carried out systematically. The whole school Both staff and pupil’s should participate. If involve pupils the pupils will have a greater understanding of the purpose of the equal treatment plan. Educate staff and pupils. Draw up a plan according to that school’s identified needs. Analyse the situation. For example the house model Knowledge on discrimination and norms All staff needs to know what harassment and sexual harassment is. Important the the staff has time to discuss values, norms and discrimination grounds. Follow-up/evaluate – How it’s followed up is important for the development of the education providers forthcoming measures. A good equal treatment plan is not enough- it’s the work that gives effect. The goal oriented work is important. A environment free from discrimination is crucial for pupil’s learning. Promoting gender equality contributes to good results, both for the pupil and for the school.  

Thank you for your time!