By promoting gender equality in the early years and challenging gender stereotypes, we help children understand that their abilities and aspirations aren’t limited by gender. This supports the development of a stronger sense of self, encourages exploration of a wider range of interests, and helps children thrive and live with unlimited potential, while also laying the groundwork for a safer and more inclusive society.
The Raise Them Equal animations and conversation starter activities are tools for early learning services, families and communities to encourage conversations about raising gender equal kids.
The conversation cards contain QR codes linking to the five-part Raise Them Equal animation series that explores gender in the early years with important questions to encourage conversations.
Early learning services and community groups are urged to promote these resources to parents, carers, families and community members attending their services. Encourage them to take the resource home and engage with the activities and tools it contains. We also encourage you to use the Conversation Starters and Activities resource with your team, a co-worker, or as an activity with families in informal learning environments, for example playgroups.
The following are included in the Conversation Starter & Activities Resource:
To order the Conversation Starters and Activities resource, please complete an order form.
The Raise Them Equal Toolkit provides practical guidance to help early years settings, families and communities use the Raise Them Equal resources with confidence. It includes information about the project, how the resources work, and practical ways to use them in early learning and community settings, including:
Delivered by Women’s Health Loddon Mallee, the Raise Them Equal Workshop is a 60‑minute session designed to build early years professionals’ confidence and skills to use the Raise Them Equal resources effectively. The workshop strengthens understanding of gender equality in the early years and its role in preventing gender‑based violence, and provides a safe, supportive space for participants to explore the project resources, including the Conversation Starters and Activities. To book a workshop for your early years service, please complete the Expression of Interest form below.
We’ve compiled a selection of children’s books that promote equity, inclusion and respect.
Small, everyday moments, like reading a book, help children grow up with unlimited potential.
We’ve also put together a short, downloadable guide for families and communities to explore, share and read children’s books that promote inclusion and gender equality in the early years
We’ve compiled a selection of resources to support early learning services, families, and communities raise gender equal kids.
We’ve developed a promotional package to support community groups, early education and childhood services, organisations, businesses, and other stakeholders in the Loddon Mallee region to share the Raise Them Equal project resources.
The package contains the following resources and information:
These resources are designed to engage families and communities, encourage participation in the project, and enhance the visibility of your involvement.
Raise Them Equal includes a 5-part animation series, educational resources, and learning opportunities to promote gender equality in the early years (0-5 years).
The animations and resources are currently available in English, Tagalog and Karen languages, and are designed to support inclusive, respectful attitudes early in life and help prevent gender‑based violence over time.
View the five animations in English below. To watch the series in other languages, visit our YouTube channel. You’re welcome to download the video files using the links below to watch on your preferred platform and share them with your networks.
All kids need to feel safe to express their feelings and emotions, and to ask for help when they need support.
Toys are for everybody. Let’s give kids the opportunity to choose how they want to play, so they can dream big.
When we raise our kids as equals and celebrate role models that they can look up to we show them that the world is full of possibility.
By sharing jobs in the home, we teach our kids that everyone needs to contribute equally, regardless of their gender.
Raising our children free from limiting ideas about gender supports them to thrive and live with unlimited potential
Gender inequality and gender-based violence exists across all Australian communities, however, its effects can be magnified for multicultural communities who also face unique challenges and additional barriers when trying to leave situations of domestic or family violence.
With the funding WHLM received for this project, the Raise Them Equal resources were translated to increase accessibility for Filipino and Karen communities in the Loddon Mallee region. These communities were engaged in the first two years of the project and the additional funding enabled WHLM to continue this primary prevention work and extend the impact for these communities.
According to 2021 Census data, Filipino and Karen communities had a high representation in 7 out of 10 local government areas in the Loddon Mallee region. For the region, there were 820 people born in the Philippines and 447 people who reported Tagalog as their language used at home. There were also 787 people who were born in Myanmar and 1597 people who reported Karen as their language used at home.
We encourage the use of these resources among all families and communities, as they will be relevant and useful for everyone.
While gender-based violence occurs across all communities and cultures in Australia, its characteristics, prevalence, and associated risk factors vary among different population groups. Certain people, identities, and communities (e.g. multicultural communities) face a heightened risk of violence, which often intersects with additional forms of discrimination and disadvantage.
Some unique challenges that can magnify the effects of violence for women from refugee and migrant backgrounds, and present barriers to leaving domestic or family violence situations include: migration trauma; experiences of racism; social isolation due to a lack of support networks (including family or social supports); language barriers and social conditions related to living in regional, rural and remote areas; socio-economic
disadvantage; fear of police and support services; financial dependence on violent partners; difficulty in navigating services; and varying understandings of what constitutes violence, for example many believing that violence is only
physical in nature.
Society and culture teach us that just because we are born a girl or a boy, we must act a certain way, wear certain clothes, like certain things, choose certain jobs, or do certain tasks at home. However, concepts about ways we should act due to our gender or sex are not innate; these are ideas we learn that are shaped by the environment we grow up in.
The English word for this is “gender”. Gender is all the things we learn from society about how we should act, what we should do, and what we should like based on whether we were born a boy or a girl. Gender isn’t the same as sex.
Sex refers to a set of biological attributes in humans and animals. It is primarily associated with physical and physiological features, for example reproductive and sexual anatomy.
Gender stereotypes are ideas and rules about what girls and boys, women and men should do, think, or like. For example, some people think girls should love pink and unicorns, and boys should love blue and be strong.
Gender stereotypes are common in society because they are based on long-held beliefs that people don’t often question. By challenging gender stereotypes, we can help kids feel safe and free to be themselves and pursue what they truly enjoy. This leads to greater confidence and creativity and helps to build a more equal and accepting
society where everyone can thrive.
Children absorb and internalise societal messages about gender roles and expectations from a young age. These early impressions can significantly shape their self-esteem, interests, behaviours and future opportunities. As a result, they might shy away from activities they are passionate about or that contribute to their growth, simply because they don’t see others doing the same or are told it’s not for them.
Research shows that gender stereotypes result in girls, by the age of six, avoiding subjects they view as requiring them to be “really, really smart”, which leads to a lower take-up of science, technology, engineering, and maths (STEM) subjects in later life.
Some language and expressions we commonly use can shape norms and expectations for children, which they carry into adulthood. For instance, expressions like ‘boys will be boys’ are often used to minimise or justify boys’ behaviour and, later, men’s aggression and violence towards women. Similarly, the phrase ‘boys don’t cry’ reinforces the idea that boys and men should hide their vulnerability and emotions, suppressing their ability to express their feelings.
By challenging gender stereotypes and promoting gender equality from an early age, we help children understand that abilities and interests are not confined by gender. This not only empowers them to explore a wider range of activities and develop a stronger sense of self, but also lays the foundation for reducing future instances of gender-based discrimination and violence and contributes to a more inclusive and just society.
You can engage in activities such as role-playing, reading inclusive books, and encouraging all types of play (e.g., both dolls and trucks). It is perfectly fine if your child loves pink and fairies or dreams of being a superhero. What’s important is that we are providing our kids with the opportunity to develop based on their own unique personalities and interests, not outdated ideas of what’s expected of their gender. Support your child’s interests and introduce them to a variety of hobbies and professions. You can also role model behaviours such as the equal sharing of household chores and responsibilities among family members. And importantly, encourage everyone at home, regardless of their gender, to share their feelings openly and without judgment.
If you encounter resistance, approach the conversation with empathy and understanding. Provide evidence-based information about the benefits of promoting gender equality and share success stories. Encourage open dialogue and address any concerns or misconceptions.
More tips and resources for responding to resistance can be found on the WHLM website: whlm.org.au/responding-toresistance/
You can find more information on gender equality in the early years, suggested books, research, recommended listening and other information by visiting: https://whlm.org.au/gender-in-the-early-years-resources.
