How early is too early? Teachers’ Perspectives on Gender Norms and Sexual and Reproductive Health

Abstract

For many young people across the world a significant proportion of theirformative years is spent in school, making learning institutions importantcontexts in which gender norms are inculcated; and teachers a key agentin the gender socialization process. Educators propagate gender norms inthree main ways: modelling behavior, exhibiting gender-basedexpectations and use of gender as labels or ‘classifiers’ (for example, blueis for boys and pink is for girls).