"<< Background >>Our initiative has been developed based on three pillars: 1. EU priorities and the recommendations regarding: a) closing the gender gap from early years, b) crucial role of inclusive quality ECEC in this process, c) closing the gender gap in access and use of digital tools from early years; 2. Research data about the age when a child notices gender differences, forms attitudes, prejudice and discriminatory behaviour; 3. Needs and interests of the ECEC teachers, professionals and other staff, policy and decision makers engaged in ECD.As challenging gender stereotypes from early years is one of the key objectives of the EU Gender Equality Strategy 2020–2025 and the first target of the UN SDGs 2030 (Goal 5), gender mainstreaming - incorporating a gender equality perspective in core activities, processes and policies is seen as the most effective way to achieve the set EU and UN goals. Given that the EU Quality Framework Recommendations for inclusive quality ECEC provide comprehensive guidelines to all the areas of ECEC that need to be addressed in order to achieve the overall ECEC quality, we see enabling the ECEC providers to monitor and evaluate how gender equality is mainstreamed in each of the areas as the best way to improve gender equality in early years. COVID-19 has revealed how important it is for all education professionals and children to have at least basic digital skills. There is a huge gender gap in access to digital tools, especially when the resources are limited. This makes EC Digital Agenda which was the first of the 7 flagship initiatives under Europe 2020 Strategy even more relevant and the need to address the gender gap in using digital tools from early years is even more urgent now.From the surveys in the previous projects and in preparation of this proposal in the project partners’ countries, it is clear that the ECEC teachers and other staff: a) do not have enough knowledge, skills and self-confidence in their own competences and power to change negative attitudes that children bring from home (around 25% of the surveyed ones), b) are interested in learning more about gender equality and mainstreaming (more than 70% of them). Children 3 to 6 years old notice the separation of ""boys' and girls’ corners, girls’ and boys’ toys and the negative reaction of adults if they try to cross the “line” (Pavlovic Breneselovic, Dragana, 2015. Gde stanuje kvalitet: istraživanje sa decom prakse dečjeg vrtića).Bearing all this in mind, we commit to providing innovative methods and toolkits for preschool teachers, support teams and training providers for their professional development and to develop teams of expert trainers who can ensure sustainability of the acquired knowledge and skills to work towards closing the gender gap and gender related use of digital tools inequality among boys and girls. The focus is on improving monitoring and (self)evaluation of the ECEC institutions and professionals in terms of gender equality. Building on the lessons learnt, recommendations and material developed in our previous IPA and Erasmus+ projects we will create new, innovative tools and guides addressing gender gap and gender related use of digital tools inequality in ECEC. Simultaneously, we will enrich our partnership with the knowledge, experience and skills coming from kindergartens in the project partner countries.<< Objectives >>The main goal is to support ECEC teachers, preschools’ leaders and other training providers to improve gender and gender related digital access equality in ECEC settings in all aspects that ensure inclusive quality ECEC as per EU Quality Framework Recommendations, whilst empowering them to monitor and (self)evaluate the gender mainstreaming in ECEC.The specific objectives are: 1. To improve ECEC professionals’ and other supporting staff’s competences to self-assess their own gender biased prejudice and discriminatory attitudes and practises; 2. To develop tools and guides for policies and practices reducing gender and gender related digital use gaps in the ECEC settings in 5 quality areas per EU Quality Framework Recommendations; 3. To create and strengthen learning community of teachers, parents, civil society and other stakeholders that can effectively monitor, (self)evaluate gender and gender related digital use and plan measures to reduce it.The final version of the project results will include examples of best practices from all the participating communities and countries and therefore it will be also a model for European approach to this topic that can be used and adapted to any cultural environment.<< Implementation >>In order to reach our objectives and achieve our goal, we will develop 3 types of tools: 1. Tool for (self)assessment of gender related personal prejudice, stereotypes and (un)conscious bias affecting the practices of preschool teachers and other ECEC staff in their interaction with young children; 2. Best Practices in Achieving Gender and Gender Related Access and Use of Digital Tools Equality in ECEC; 3. Toolkit for Monitoring and Evaluation of Gender Equality in ECEC settings.We will train 20 future trainers for ECEC teachers and other professionals to use these tools, who, in turn, will each share the information and support at least 15 teachers and other professionals from at least 5 ECEC settings in each project country.For approximately half a school year (6-7 months), use of the tools will be piloted in at least 5 ECEC settings per project country. During the piloting, regular monthly monitoring and support will be provided by the trainers and partners’ experts. Based on the feedback from pilots and monitoring observations, the final versions of the tools will be developed.Through series of 3-day information sharing and dissemination events, 1-day advocacy round-table in each partner country and final conference with different stakeholders, we will ensure the development of the learning community of different stakeholders to monitor and assess gender gaps as well as the impact of the undertaken actions to reduce it in ECEC.Based on the whole experience and inputs from all stakeholders, we will develop Recommendations for ECEC settings, local, regional and national policy and decision makers to enable and support gender equality in ECEC.<< Results >>We are expecting to achieve the following results:1.Improved skills of the ECEC professionals to close the gender and gender related use of digital tools gaps in all areas determining inclusive quality ECEC as per EU Quality Framework Recommendations in at least 5 ECEC settings/institutions per the partner’s country (Serbia, Slovakia and Italy);2.Raised competences and self-confidence of preschool teachers, ECEC professionals, professional support teams and paraprofessional support teams in the pilot ECEC settings/institutions to monitor and evaluate the change in children’s attitudes about social and family roles of boys and girls, male and female members of the family3. Preschool professionals in the pilot ECEC settings/institutions equipped with tools and empowered to (self)assess gender stereotypes in themselves and with parents and families of the young children (including those with health and ability challenges, from poor, rural and Roma backgrounds who have stronger attitudes towards different roles of boys and girls and male and female family members)4.Established and strengthened model for monitoring and (self)evaluation of the inclusive quality ECEC provision through the gender lenses in the pilot ECEC institutions and settings in the partner’s countries.With our project and the activities, we are also aiming to achieve a longer-term impact as follows:1.Our model for achieving gender mainstreaming in ECEC recognised and recommended at the local, regional and national levels in the project countries2.Standards and indicators for self-assessment and external evaluation of the ECEC quality at national levels include gender equality related ones including gender related access and use of digital tools3.Initial training and in-service professional development of ECEC teachers and practitioners include toolkits, guidelines and competence/self-confidence building methods for (self)assessment of (un)conscious gender bias as recommended material for all future and current ECEC Managers, teachers and professional support teams’ members in the project countries4.Recommendations for gender mainstreaming and importance of gender and gender related gaps in access to and use of digital tools gaps closing in ECEC influence local, national and European policy making for inclusive quality ECEC"