Italy: New proposal on education for relationships

The topic of femicide is currently the subject of wide public, social and political debate in Italy. For this reason, the Ministry of education and merit issued the Directive “Educazione alle relazioni” – Percorsi progettuali per le scuole ('Education for Relationships' - Project Pathways for Schools), aimed at strengthening actions in schools to foster a culture of respect, promote better education for relationships and combat male violence against women.
With the Directive of 24 November 2023, the Ministry promotes the implementation of projects, educational paths, multidisciplinary activities and workshop methodologies for upper secondary school students.
Schools can voluntarily activate the relevant project activities through the following path, approved by the collegiate bodies:
1. Designation of a reference teacher for each school involved;
2. Creation of discussion/focus groups;
3. Identification of a teacher-moderator for each class group;
4. Training for each teacher-moderator, according to a programme to be prepared by the Ministry of education and merit with the support of scientific and professional bodies.
The project envisages the involvement of family associations and of the Order of Psychologists, as well as of qualified scientific and professional bodies. INDIRE (National Institute for Documentation, Innovation and Educational Research) will support the Ministry in the provision of specific training courses for the teachers involved and of actual support to schools in the realisation of the planned project activities.
In order to verify the effectiveness of the interventions implemented, the activities carried out will be monitored.
Source: Eurydice Unit Italy
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