Building communities free from gender-based violence through the exchange of ideas

Wednesday 6 May 2026

How can we build communities that are aware, resilient, and open to change? There is no simple answer, but there is a clear starting point: creating spaces for meeting, exchange, and listening, where different forms of knowledge intersect and turn into action. It is precisely through dialogue between young people, professionals, and communities that the foundations are laid for more inclusive societies, capable of evolving and responding to people’s real needs.

This is the spirit that shaped the European Exchange Workshop, held in Paris on 17-18 April: two immersive days in the world of mental wellbeing and youth participation. The event brought together psychologists and experts alongside the Youth Advisory Boards (YABs) from the partner countries of BOTTOM-UP TALKS, creating a truly intergenerational, authentic, and transformative space for exchange.

Building on the previous training experience in Lithuania, this exchange brought together the expertise and lessons learned from school-based listening services, with the energy and perspectives of the young people involved in peer education activities. Youth Advisory Boards are not merely participants: they grow, help foster more aware mindsets, and bring the values of comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) into diverse youth contexts. At the same time, experts had the opportunity to learn from them and from the student communities they work with, raising crucial questions: What are the primary needs of adolescents today? How can we ensure support that goes beyond the school environment? How can we build safer and more inclusive educational settings?

One of the most significant aspects of the experience was the shift in perspective: roles became fluid and intertwined. Many young people expressed a strong desire to take the lead, to have their voices heard at the European level, and to actively contribute to the dissemination of these values. Stepping up, finding the right words, and engaging with new realities, all of this is part of a growth process that goes far beyond a single event.

The programme was further enriched by the contribution of the keynote speaker: Leonie Werner, Associate Programme Specialist in the Health & Education Section at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, who offered valuable insight into the organisation’s work. In this context, she highlighted:

“We need to better understand what leads to situations of violence and why comprehensive sexuality & relationships education is closely linked to gender-based violence. This connection is still insufficiently addressed in current programmes and represents a significant gap. Comprehensive sexuality & relationships education has strong potential to contribute to the prevention of gender-based violence, but only if it is delivered before individuals enter romantic relationships. Evidence shows that interventions at later stages are far less effective – this is precisely why its preventive role is so critical.”

Her contribution reinforced the importance of investing in prevention and early education as key tools for building healthier relationships and more equitable societies.

Training young people in activism: an investment in bottom-up change

Another key takeaway from the workshop was the urgent need to prepare and support young people who want to engage in grassroots activism for the rights of adolescents. This means not only providing knowledge, but also fostering transversal skills such as communication, critical thinking, conflict management, and teamwork.

Supporting these pathways means creating safer spaces where young people can experiment, make mistakes, learn, and grow as agents of change. When properly supported and valued, youth activism becomes a powerful tool to reach peers, raise awareness, and promote tangible change at the local level.

Investing in their training means strengthening a network of individuals that can autonomously and sustainably advance the values of inclusion, respect, and wellbeing. Starting from the ground up, this process has the potential to influence broader systems. It also means recognising the value of relationships and nurturing pathways that place wellbeing, participation, and change at their core.

It is through exchange that ideas are born, and through connections that those ideas become the future.