GENDER AWARENESS AND IMPACT OF GENDER SENSITIZATION PROGRAMMES AMONG SCHOOL CHILDREN - AN EMPIRICAL STUDY WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO GOVERNMENT HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOL, THINDAL, ERODE, TAMILNADU

Abstract

Gender awareness and gender sensitization programmes play an important role in informing women and men about gender equality. It is necessary to create a gender responsive school in which the academic, social and physical environment and its surrounding community take into account the specific needs of girls and boys. The present study was undertaken with the main objective of analyzing the impact of gender sensitization programmes on changes in attitude, behavior and belief about opposite gender among school children and to analyze the gender problems faced by the school children. The study has been conducted among 60 students of Government Higher Secondary School, Thindal by randomly selecting 20 students from VI, VII and VIII standard each. The study is descriptive in nature and ensures random sampling method for data collection through well-structured questionnaire. The tools such as percentage analysis, chi-square test, correlation analysis and weighted average score ranking are included. The Chi-Square analysis proves that there is significant relationship between age and gender sensitization programmes offered to the respondents and the variable age is having positive association. The study concludes that Gender awareness and sensitization programmes may be included as a part of syllabus for primary and high school children who in turn help the overall development and the betterment of the society.