Taaron Ki Toli (Gang of Stars)

The intervention came from the belief that by addressing gender stereotypes early enough in a very structured, phased manner, young adults can themselves become social change actors in their own settings. This can create a snowball effect with those outside of the school system, building bridges to address the problem at a family and community level. Specifically, the programme engages secondary school students between 11-15 years old, as adolescence is believed to be a critical time for development when students are still forming their own attitudes and are mature enough to reflect on complex issues.

To begin the process, Breakthrough engaged with education officials, school principals, and teachers to ensure the gender equity curriculum was relevant and feasible for schools to potentially incorporate into the normal school curriculum. Breakthrough also conducted multiple district-wide trainings of school teachers to build their involvement and engagement. Each school was guided by a teacher coordinator (Druv Tara - "guiding star") tasked with organising the TKT programme in the school, observing the sessions, maintaining reports on the programme, addressing students' concerns, and building an enabling environment at the school.

Participating youth (the "stars") come together regularly every week to learn about gender-based discrimination and to explore and understand ways in which they can prevent discrimination at home and in their communities. Sessions include interactive classroom discussions designed to build psychosocial and interpersonal skills. The curriculum uses both economic and human rights-based reasoning to demonstrate the importance of valuing girls. For example, participants learn that a girl's education has long-term benefits for their future children, in addition to being a fundamental human right. Students learn through games, songs, drawings, and other activities. The Taron Ki Toli includes boys and girls as well, who come together to learn about ways in which they can support each other and raise their voices to protest against and prevent gender-based discrimination around them. Outside the classroom, students complete homework assignments, such as writing stories or discussing gender with family members.

In each school, Breakthrough creates an optional TKT adolescent club where all participating students are invited to enroll and sign pledges to declare their commitment to participate in the club activities. In turn, students receive a workbook, which is designed to help students remember what they have learned and to gain confidence to be able to voice their opinions, as well as branded materials such as caps and badges with the club's logo.

In order to continually build their skills and confidence, TKT club members have presented programmes in the school assemblies. Apart from building their confidence, this also helps to spread their learning to the rest of the school. They have also led media and communications campaigns featuring intergenerational dialogue, petitions, Facebook Live sessions, poetry, street theatre, puppet shows, and songs on creating a safe school environment.

Through the TKT clubs, adolescents also interact with various stakeholders, such as members of local self-government, frontline health workers, child protection officials, police, lawyers, journalists, and celebrities to discuss and gain information regarding issues such as health, education, careers, and legal services.

Further reaching the community is an interactive "video van" equipped with a theatre team and audio-visual facility to engage audiences around early marriage. To date, it has traveled to communities in 7 districts in 203 days with 635 shows, providing resources such as 24-hour emergency services for children.

In addition to the video, below, see these on YouTube:

• "Change starts young" [1'26"]
• TKT campaign video [1'03"]

Gender Equity, Youth

Children adopt the gender attitudes they are exposed to at home, in school, and in their communities; as they grow older, these take root and define their behaviour and responses as adults. Gender inequality is an issue across all societies, but it is particularly challenging in low-income countries. In India, the gender gap begins at birth, as the practice of sex-selective abortion is widespread. This inequality continues throughout a woman's life, evidenced by the barriers a woman faces in receiving an education, accessing health care, participating in the labour force, and having full autonomy over key life decisions like marriage and childbirth. Whereas these norms push girls towards confining domestic roles as they reach adulthood, boys are expected to step out into the world, since masculinity demands and grants them the right.

Economic development alone seems unlikely to achieve gender equality, as many gender gaps persist despite economic progress. Increasingly, researchers are considering the role of cultural norms in perpetuating gender inequality. Research shows that even long-held norms can be changed. For instance, exposure to female politicians elected through gender quotas was found in one study to reduce gender bias in India. Addressing gender norms at an early age may have an impact not only on adolescents throughout their life but also on their parents and future generations.