Breakthrough’s gender sensitisation curriculum adopted across government schools in Punjab to reduce gender based violence and discrimination.

On the occasion of International Women’s Day, the Government of Punjab’s Department of School Education today announced its partnership with Breakthrough and the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) South Asia to integrate a gender sensitisation curriculum for adolescents into the syllabus for all government schools in the state. 

• The curriculum will be based on Breakthrough’s iconic Taaron Ki toli programme that is proven to make the gender views of both boys and girls more progressive. 

• The curriculum will be introduced as part of the Moral Sciences, Social studies and English  syllabi for classes 6-8, covering over 4,500 government schools in the state.

• Under the programme, nearly 13,000 teachers will be trained on delivering the curriculum. The program is expected to reach over a million students in the state. 

• The curriculum consists of a series of interactive, safe, and open discussions to empower adolescents to transform their gender attitudes, aspirations, and behaviors.

• J-PAL South Asia will conduct an independent process evaluation to generate insights for sustained, high-quality, government implementation.

Breakthrough’s curriculum was first introduced into schools in Haryana in 2012 and in a rigorous evaluation by J-PAL South Asia, it was seen to significantly improve gender attitudes and behaviours of both boys and girls. Breakthrough has since introduced the curriculum into schools in Bihar, Jharkhand and U.P., reaching over 200,000 adolescents with a view to reducing gender based discrimination and  violence.

We’re honoured to partner with the Government of Punjab and J-PAL South Asia to bring about systemic and lasting change to how we address gender equality. We know that gender perceptions get formed at a young age and therefore, we need to ensure that children, especially between the ages of 10-14 have access to the right information related to gender equality, legal rights, and healthy gender behaviors. The Taaron Ki Toli program aims to achieve this and with this partnership, we will continue to make efforts to build a society that is fair, equitable and does not allow gender-based discrimination.

In service of our mission to transform gender outcomes in the state and achieve gender parity, I am delighted to launch this initiative to directly address gender discrimination and encourage the growth of gender equitable mindsets in our young citizens. The expansion of Breakthrough’s gender sensitisation programme throughout Punjab will bring about a ripple effect as this curriculum begins to shift gender norms and behaviors of our students, who will grow to shape the fabric of our state. – Shri Krishan Kumar, Secretary of the Department of School Education, Punjab.

Many gender gaps persist despite economic progress, making it important to intervene directly and early enough to change norms and attitudes in order to bring about a more gender equal society. In uniting the Government of Punjab’s commitment to improve gender outcomes with Breakthrough’s expertise in developing programmes to change gender norms, this partnership offers tremendous potential to close the gender outcome gap by empowering every student with a gender equitable mindset and the tools to act upon it. – Shobhini Mukerji, Executive Director of J-PAL South Asia.