Supporting Safe and Positive School Environment: Introducing Gender Equality, Disability, and Social Inclusion (GEDSI)

AIDRAN was invited by the BRIDGE Program to facilitate a two-day workshop. The program was designed to engage and introduce Indonesian high school students to the understanding of diversity in all its forms and to promote universal values of respect for diversity.

By developing the ability to identify, recognise, and understand the various forms of diversity within their school environment and beyond, participants were expected to learn to accept, respect, and appreciate diversity. Attitudes of acceptance, respect, and appreciation for diversity are essential to fostering safe and dignified environments both within and outside schools. A sense of safety and being valued is key to the realisation of social inclusion.

As young participants, they were expected to become part of Indonesia’s next generation who uphold universal core values such as respect, equality, non-discrimination, and appreciation for others, as enshrined in the ideology of Pancasila and the 1945 Constitution. Participants were also encouraged to contribute to the creation of a dignified social environment characterised by respect and free from discrimination and violence.

Program Objectives:

• Provide knowledge on how students can contribute to building collective awareness, particularly among young people, to respect differences by taking on the role of “social engineers” through the use of technology in equality campaigns.

• Introduce basic concepts of social inclusion to high school students, including the fundamental values young people need to understand in order to participate in advancing social inclusion.

• Encourage and equip participants with the knowledge to identify and respect differences and diversity in their surroundings, including diversity based on identities such as gender and disability.

• Introduce participants to the diversity of gender identities and disability by exploring the forms of relationships and attitudes in society shaped by gender and disability diversity.

• Explain the difference between gender and sex and provide an understanding of how social interactions are often shaped by gender perceptions within social environments.

• Introduce various forms of disability, deepen knowledge about disability, and provide direct interaction experiences with persons with disabilities.

• Provide students with opportunities to gain a deeper understanding of different types of disabilities and to reflect on the role they can play in promoting the rights of women and persons with disabilities to participate in learning environments.

On 3 and 5 August 2021, the Australia-Indonesia Disability Research and Advocacy Network (AIDRAN), in collaboration with the Australia-Indonesia School Partnership BRIDGE, conducted an introductory GEDSI (Gender Equality, Disability, and Social Inclusion) program for 60 senior high school (SMA) students.