ECA position statement: Gender Equity

1. Interactions, texts and images contribute to children’s understandings of gender and the development of gendered identities.
2. Both boys and girls should be encouraged to explore a full range of experiences and emotions.
3. The identification of particular skills, behaviours and feelings as 'masculine' or 'feminine' restricts life opportunities.
4. Positive intervention is necessary to ensure that gender bias is identified and challenged in positive ways and to promote all children’s active involvement in a range of experiences.

• give positive messages about gender equity through their actions and words and avoid giving messages that promote traditional gender roles and gender bias;
• offer encouragement and support for both girls and boys to participate in the full range of experiences and resources, to express their emotions and to display affection and empathy;
• challenge perceptions of curriculum areas such as literacy, science and mathematics as feminine or masculine and provide experiences that encourage all children to build strengths in all areas of the curriculum;
• actively encourage children to explore their own gender identities and the impact of gender relations on their play and to discuss the possible implications for others;
• engage children in critical dialogue about the gendered identities presented in a range of media such as advertisements, film, computer games and books and work with children to create alternate texts and images that challenge traditional gendered identities; and
• include a range of texts and images in the program which present a range of possibilities for males and females and explores issues of race, class and sexuality.

• the service has a policy for gender equity which is developed in consultation with and is accessible to staff, families, the community and children;
• the gender equity policy underpins and informs the operation of the service;
• there are regular opportunities for discussion among management, staff and families, and in appropriate ways with children, around gender issues in ways that respect the complex nature of families’ values and practices and encourage exploration of any questions or concerns;
• there is a suitable range and amount of resources such as puzzles, books, posters and music that present diverse images of children and adults to support staff in encouraging girls and boys to experience and participate fully in all types of experiences;
• staff are positive role models with regard to gender equity, both in their actions and attitudes as individuals and in their interactions with others, and are encouraged to critically evaluate their own actions and interactions;
• staff engage in dialogue about the interaction between gender roles, culture, religion, sexuality and class and the impact on children’s developing identities;
• staff critically analyse the ways in which children construct and experience gendered power relations in their play; and
• staff are provided with opportunities to enhance their commitment to and understanding of gender issues through discussion, reading, professional development opportunities and critical thinking activities such as self reflection.

• implementation of gender equity policies and practices is a recognised precondition for participation in government funding programs;
• gender equity policies and practices for individual services are required under regulation and quality assurance programs;
• community progress in the area of gender equity is audited and if necessary awareness and education campaigns are initiated by governments;
• gender equity is promoted in a strategic manner in professional publications such as newsletters, magazines and books to support staff, family and community knowledge and understanding in the area;
• gender equity is properly covered in curricula for early childhood education degrees and related diploma and certificate courses;
• there is a readily available supply of diverse resources such as posters, videos, textbooks and children's books accessible to children's services, staff, students and families; and
• professional development around issues of gender equity is readily available.