On October 8, 2025, within the framework of the implementation of the EU Erasmus+ project 101082696 – PROMENT “Promoting professional education and active participation of students through the formation of a comprehensive system of mentoring and tutoring in higher education institutions” under the “Gender Mentoring” scheme, a discussion club meeting was held on the topic “Gender Equality and Stereotypes”.

The participants of the event were student-mentees majoring in Journalism at the Faculty of Political Science of Petro Mohyla National University of Chernivtsi.

The organizer and moderator of the meeting was Anna Solovyova, Candidate of Political Sciences, Associate Professor of the Department of Journalism and Political Science, and coordinator of the mentoring scheme “Gender Mentoring “Women in Science”” within the framework of the PROMENT project.

The invited speakers were Iryna Hnatyuk, a specialist in combating gender-based violence, case manager of the NGO “CF “East-SOS””, and Tetyana Kucheryava, a lawyer, who shared their practical experience in protecting women’s rights and promoting the principles of equality in various areas.

The aim of the event was to raise students’ awareness of the concepts of gender, equality and stereotypes, as well as to develop critical thinking in the perception of the social roles of men and women. The discussion aimed to help young people understand the impact of gender attitudes on their professional and personal orientations, as well as to consider practical ways to overcome discriminatory practices.

During the meeting, participants discussed topics such as:

• gender roles and stereotypes (how ideas about “female” and “male” responsibilities were formed in society, why they still influence career choices, behavior, and career opportunities);
• the history of the development of women’s rights and the gender rights movement (key stages of the struggle for suffrage, education, professional self-realization, and equal pay);
• how gender defines our roles and rights (analysis of contemporary challenges, including unequal access to resources, career opportunities, and social recognition).

An interesting element of the meeting was the viewing of commercials that reflect common gender stereotypes. After viewing, participants discussed how the media influences the formation of perceptions of women and men.

The organizers express their gratitude to the invited speakers and participants for their activity and inspiration, as well as to the PROMENT project team for creating a space of opportunities for student self-realization and academic growth.