Centre-left politician and rights
activist Anna Paola Concia is to coordinate the 'Educating in
Relationship' project aiming to tackle gender-based violence
(GBV) in Italian schools, Education Minister Giuseppe Valditara
told the parliamentary commission of enquiry on femicide during
a hearing on Thursday.
Concia, a member of the centre-left Democratic Party (PD), has
always supported the rights of women and of the LGBT community
in Italy and abroad.
Italy's first openly lesbian lawmaker during the 2008-2013
parliament, in recent years she has brought Didacta Italia, the
spin-off of Didacta Germany, the world's most important event on
the school of the future, to Italy.
"I have been working with Valditara since he became minister
and we get on very well," Concia told ANSA following the
announcement.
"We have also discussed the issue of violence against women,
when we first met he said he wanted to create a project against
gender violence, on the culture of respect.
"Then he asked me to lead 'Educating in Relationships' and I
accepted. I have been doing battles for 30 years and now an
education minister wants to make a serious commitment on this
issue. I am happy," she added.
"I will put all my experience at the disposal of the country and
of an important battle to be fought, which does not have to have
a political colour.
"I am doing this for all women, for Giulia (Cecchettin, ed.) and
for the new generations. I would like to involve Giulia
Cecchettin's father," concluded Concia.
The project 'Educating in Relationships' took its cue from
high-profile events before the summer involving GBV and was
presented officially in the aftermath of the femicide of
22-year-old Giulia Cecchettin by her former boyfriend on
November 11.
"A big mobilisation is underway, for the first time in Italy an
experiment of this kind is being conducted to address the issue
of sexism, machismo and psychological and physical violence
against women," said Valditara presenting the project in the
Senate.
The minister said the scheme includes civic education from
elementary to high school and a specific project targeting high
school students through discussion
groups.
Teachers are also being asked to introduce the culture of
respect in all school activities, he added.
"It is unacceptable that women should suffer harassment,
violence, up to the tragic events of these last few days," said
Valditara.
"School is to deal with the cultural phenomenon, that prevailing
male chauvinism that manifests itself in so many situations in
daily life, at school, at work, in the street," added the
minister, saying the project is an evolution of the 2015
initiative 'Educating in respect' and will initially be open to
schools on a voluntary basis.
A teacher focal point will be appointed in each participating
school and training will be provided for moderators of
discussion groups.
In all, activities will run for 30 hours and be followed by
monitoring of the results achieved.
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