"Nowadays it is difficult to underestimate the role of Media in achieving the fundamental value of gender equality. Media is the mirror of everyday life and at the same time is one of the tools to ""shape"" society, in this case how we perceive different genders. At the same time, the media is considered to play an important role in the quest for democracy and gender equality. Both biological and social genders prosperity and equality in many cases depends on stereotypes formed by media. The main aim of this TC was to increase awareness and provide youth with proper knowledge about gender issues and perspectives of European and project countries media, so enabling them to work on gender-related projects. In order to achieve the aim we set 9 objectives:-To re-explore and develop participants knowledge and understanding of various concepts related to gender issues and emphasize the importance of gender equality in Media-To analyze each partner's country gender issues-To facilitate networking process among participants and promote new common projects related to gender equality-To give space for participants to set new networks related to gender equality -To improve the intercultural, non-formal and informal learning process resulting in a wider impact on communities-To promote non-formal learning and Erasmus Plus program-To give an opportunity to meet local advocates and other professionals working with this topic and get inspired-To provide participants with tools, needed for project development. -To clarify challenges and opportunities of gender equality issues under Erasmus PlusThe project covered not only man versus women inequality (biological genders), but also other social genders that exist in our societies. By bringing youth from different parts of Europe, we were educating them and discussing with them in frames of this topic - how gender stereotypes are formed by media and how media could help to form a greater gender equality in project countries. Trainers familiarized participants with the issue; enabling them to be more critical towards media when it comes to gender issues. Also, providing participants with tools and knowledge to share and spread awareness in their NGOs and communities, partner organizations contributed in creating more tolerant youth and societies in general.The training gathered 27 young people including project organizers from partner countries: Ukraine, Armenia, Poland, Lithuania, Georgia, Holland. Most of the participants in one way or another are active in youth work and some of them are active in media as writers and bloggers. All of them in one way or another are related to the gender issues topic, either personally or through their youth work.In order to assure the continuation of partnership and similar projects participants were given time and space to work on possible youth projects that could be implemented under Erasmus Plus program, thus also expanding their network. The diversity of the group assured intercultural learning and sharing and non-formal education methods, such as discussions, roundtables, work in a smaller group, games, energizers etc., eased the learning process. One session was dedicated to meet a local expert working on the gender equality issue in Armenia, who explained in depth the local realities. However, participants were encouraged to be critical and ask questions and not take every idea and message of the expert for granted. This project was designed in a way that trainers could also provide needed tools for the sessions that they could serve participants in the future, e.g. recommendations how using media platforms to avoid stereotyping genders.Also, Erasmus Plus program was not only promoted as grant giver but it was also properly presented opportunities for youth to move forward with similar projects in the program."

"Nowadays Europe enjoys the equality of women and men before the law more than ever. Through the media we see more women taking decision-making roles in our social and political life. Nowadays it is difficult to underestimate the role of Media in achieving the fundamental value of gender equality. Having a great role in society, the Media definitely affects the perception of gender and acts as one of the main tools for ""gender stereotyping"". In 2013 the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe stated that “gender equality means equal visibility, empowerment, responsibility, and participation of both women and men in all spheres of public life, including the media"". Though having a big potential in promoting gender equality, in Europe media still acts as a tool that creates and maintains gender stereotypes. In the neighboring partner countries, we see an even worse picture. Though these countries also share the main European values, in local realities we see lots of Gender-based Inequalities. In South-Eastern countries, even the physical violence rate against women is much higher. The oppressors bring excuses for their violation with phrases ""to show the woman her place"", ""man should be a man"". That image is mainly generated as result of the absence of adequate education and the influence of the society through all types of media.It is well-known fact that teenagers and youngsters often take as role models the images, that are created by the Media. At this sensible age, youngsters often don't want to think critically and adapt the role models for different genders without questioning them. We are sure that youth workers or even educated youth are able to change the situation. We want to act and bring positive changes in our societies taking a special focus on media. The main aim of this Training Course is to increase awareness and provide youth with proper knowledge about gender issues and perspectives of European and project countries media, so enabling them to work on gender-related projects. Different scale of activities as simulations, role-plays, group activities, discussions, presentations, field visits will give 24 participants from 6 countries an opportunity to re-explore the concepts of gender and sex, gender stereotypes in the media of EU and Neighboring countries and etc. Participants guided by trainers will analyze gender equality issues in media from different angles while communicating with the media representatives and women rights defenders. In order to achieve our aim we set these objectives:-To re-explore and develop participants knowledge and understanding of various concepts related to gender issues and emphasize the importance of gender equality in Media-To analyze each partner's country gender issues-To facilitate networking process among participants and promote new common projects related to gender equality-To give space for participants to set new networks related to gender equality - To improve the intercultural, non-formal and informal learning process resulting in a wider impact on community-To give an opportunity to meet local advocates and other professionals working with this topic and get inspired-To provide participants with tools, needed for project development. - To clarify the challenges of and opportunities for gender equality issues under Erasmus plusThe training course will support the participants in the acquisition of learning outcomes (knowledge, skills, and competences) necessary to use media as a tool to promote Gender equality in their future projects. The TC will improve the participants professional development, their involvement as considerate and active citizens in society, raise participants' awareness and understanding of other cultures and countries, offering them the opportunity to build networks of international contacts. The project will give the participants the opportunity to participate more actively in their societies and develop the sense of European citizenship and identity while fighting against gender stereotypes and inequality. With this features the project clearly links the specific aims of the Mobility projects in the field of education, training, and youth. The project includes equal numbers of partners from the Programme and Partner countries. The TC has also a special focus of further international project development on the topic and with this contributes to cooperation between the EU and the Partner Countries.On a far-reaching perspective, as a result of greater number of similar projects fostering Gender Equality, we will see the wider respect to European values; respect for rights of persons, their freedom, and human dignity. The project does its contribution to reaching this objective, with this fulfilling one of the General objectives of the Erasmus+ Programme; the promotion of European values in accordance with Article 2 of the Treaty."