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| Infancy is the time to start tackling inequality between girls and boys | Infancy is the time to start tackling inequality between girls and boys |
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| When does gender inequality take root? In the cot, according to the Bourdarias nursery in Saint Ouen, in the suburbs of Paris, the first infant care centre in France to introduce a policy to combat discrimination in 2009. | When does gender inequality take root? In the cot, according to the Bourdarias nursery in Saint Ouen, in the suburbs of Paris, the first infant care centre in France to introduce a policy to combat discrimination in 2009. |
| Last month France's minister for women's rights, Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, visited the nursery to promote this pioneering work. Only one other nursery in Seine-Saint-Denis has launched a similar policy. "We will not achieve equality if we do not combat the construction of stereotypes as early as possible," Vallaud-Belkacem said. | Last month France's minister for women's rights, Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, visited the nursery to promote this pioneering work. Only one other nursery in Seine-Saint-Denis has launched a similar policy. "We will not achieve equality if we do not combat the construction of stereotypes as early as possible," Vallaud-Belkacem said. |
| "We aim to give [children] the foundations to develop properly," says the head of the nursery, Haude Constantin-Bienaimé. "But what we observe is that even very young boys and girls don't have the same degree of self-confidence. | "We aim to give [children] the foundations to develop properly," says the head of the nursery, Haude Constantin-Bienaimé. "But what we observe is that even very young boys and girls don't have the same degree of self-confidence. |
| "Children develop by imitation, with adults exerting considerable influence," Constantin-Bienaimé suggests. "We bring up our children in line with our own representations and with the expectations society places on each sex. Little girls should smile and be sensible, little boys should be brave." Parents are not the only ones to blame. Teachers, the media, literature, the childcare and toy industries bombard toddlers with stereotypes. | "Children develop by imitation, with adults exerting considerable influence," Constantin-Bienaimé suggests. "We bring up our children in line with our own representations and with the expectations society places on each sex. Little girls should smile and be sensible, little boys should be brave." Parents are not the only ones to blame. Teachers, the media, literature, the childcare and toy industries bombard toddlers with stereotypes. |
| The nursery looks much the same as any other, with the usual toys. Without denying differences, its "proactive egalitarian pedagogy" seeks to avoid locking children up in boxes, with pink and tea sets for girls, blue and lorries for boys. "We try to keep toys as neutral as possible, without banning dolls or garages," says David Helbecque, one of the educators. "Simply, we show the young girls that they can play with the toy cars, make a noise, shout and climb. Boys wanting to play with dolls are encouraged too." | The nursery looks much the same as any other, with the usual toys. Without denying differences, its "proactive egalitarian pedagogy" seeks to avoid locking children up in boxes, with pink and tea sets for girls, blue and lorries for boys. "We try to keep toys as neutral as possible, without banning dolls or garages," says David Helbecque, one of the educators. "Simply, we show the young girls that they can play with the toy cars, make a noise, shout and climb. Boys wanting to play with dolls are encouraged too." |
| "The merit of this pedagogy is that it enables everyone to broaden the scope of what is possible," says Geneviève Cresson, a sociologist at Lille-1 University and a specialist in children and gender relations. "Gender discrimination reduces the opportunities for young women, but is also damaging for their male counterparts, imposing aggressive behaviour and requiring them to hold back emotion." | "The merit of this pedagogy is that it enables everyone to broaden the scope of what is possible," says Geneviève Cresson, a sociologist at Lille-1 University and a specialist in children and gender relations. "Gender discrimination reduces the opportunities for young women, but is also damaging for their male counterparts, imposing aggressive behaviour and requiring them to hold back emotion." |
| The craft and cooking workshops are open to all comers. The former is led by a woman, the latter by a man. Everything is vetted: the activities available to children, but also relations between adults of both sexes at the nursery, even everyday language. "Adults need to work hard on their own behaviour to gain an awareness of the biased way they treat girls and boys," Cresson explains. "They're always convinced they are perfectly even-handed." | The craft and cooking workshops are open to all comers. The former is led by a woman, the latter by a man. Everything is vetted: the activities available to children, but also relations between adults of both sexes at the nursery, even everyday language. "Adults need to work hard on their own behaviour to gain an awareness of the biased way they treat girls and boys," Cresson explains. "They're always convinced they are perfectly even-handed." |
| Seine-Saint-Denis council, which manages a network of 55 nurseries, is backing this initiative. "It is part of a broader approach," says council leader Stéphane Troussel. "We have a scheme to combat gender discrimination in secondary schools and an observatory of violence against women. This is not to say that things are any worse here than elsewhere, but we do not want to deny its existence." | Seine-Saint-Denis council, which manages a network of 55 nurseries, is backing this initiative. "It is part of a broader approach," says council leader Stéphane Troussel. "We have a scheme to combat gender discrimination in secondary schools and an observatory of violence against women. This is not to say that things are any worse here than elsewhere, but we do not want to deny its existence." |
| The work at the Bourdarias nursery demands parental support, but the response in this socially mixed area – where executives from the capital rub shoulders with the residents of low-income housing estates – has been positive. The nursery is now heavily oversubscribed. | The work at the Bourdarias nursery demands parental support, but the response in this socially mixed area – where executives from the capital rub shoulders with the residents of low-income housing estates – has been positive. The nursery is now heavily oversubscribed. |
| Childcare specialists are convinced that such policies enhance mutual respect between the sexes and can reduce violence against women. But the approach needs to be applied on a larger scale and extended to schools. "We have nevertheless made a small contribution to laying the foundations," says Constantin-Bienaimé. | Childcare specialists are convinced that such policies enhance mutual respect between the sexes and can reduce violence against women. But the approach needs to be applied on a larger scale and extended to schools. "We have nevertheless made a small contribution to laying the foundations," says Constantin-Bienaimé. |
| • This article appeared in the Guardian Weekly, which incorporates material from Le Monde | • This article appeared in the Guardian Weekly, which incorporates material from Le Monde |
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