Healthy Equal Relationships
This program was dedicated to Afghan and Iranian girls and boys, ages 8 – 14 years, who live in the Greater Toronto Area and whose families were fairly new to Canada. Parents and community members and leaders also had opportunities to attend similar workshops throughout the year.
Through workshops, outings, research, case studies, role play, open discussion, and materials, the participants, both young and adult, received similar information focusing on the key point: the importance of gender equality and the direct correlation between violence in homes and gender inequality. As a result of this project, many children began to view their fe/male counterparts in a different way – one of respect, trust, and support. Through discussion at home, these concepts were reinforced, displayed, discussed, and encouraged.
The workshops were held at our various AWO locations which were conveniently located throughout the GTA (North York, Scarborough, and Mississauga). They were all accessible by public transportation and TTC tokens were available to the participants.
Our objectives include:
- bringing awareness about the importance of gender equality
- outlining the key issues of gender equality and the importance of building healthy relationships with the opposite gender
- providing effective suggestions and peaceful problem-solving solutions when confronted with gender inequality
- making the connection between violence in the home and society with gender inequality and age discrimination
- stressing the importance of positive role models in the community and the impact this has on the younger generations
- building trust and respect between the genders
- recognizing the power of violence in the media and violence in cultures and learning how to break cycles and influences such as these
- discussing Canadian laws related to family violence and gender inequality
- providing resources and tips for healthy and positive relationships
