Jönköping and Stellenbosch: From the classroom to the community
Through joint efforts and a shared vision of creating safer school environments free from gender-based violence, the partnership between Jönköping, Sweden, and Stellenbosch, South Africa, is driving meaningful change that positively impacts students’ daily lives. By using the educational method Normstorm, young people gain a deeper understanding of human rights and equality, paving the way for lasting transformation both in classrooms and in society.
The municipal partnership between Jönköping municipality and Stellenbosch, located 50 kilometers east of Cape Town, is part of ICLD’s Network for Human Rights. The two have been actively collaborating since 2023, focusing on combating gender-based violence. By exchanging experiences, the municipalities have increased awareness of the issue and gained a deeper understanding of the social norms underlying such violence. They work together with schools to introduce the “Normstorm” method into teaching, aiming to raise societal awareness about violence and how to prevent it.
What is Normstorm in practice?
Normstorm is an educational tool encompassing creative projects and student-led discussions that highlight norms and foster critical thinking about societal norms within the school environment. Developed by Jönköping Municipality in 2012, the method has been warmly welcomed by Stellenbosch.
The method has proven successful in both municipalities and is frequently used to instill critical thinking about societal norms among students.
In Stellenbosch, Normstorm has been implemented in three pilot schools with grade 10 students who have engaged in discussions about norms and expressed their insights through photography projects.
Positive outcomes
Although Stellenbosch does not manage the schools directly, the partnership has strengthened regional relationships, as the Cape Winelands District is responsible for education. This collaboration has led to Normstorm being incorporated into the curriculum. The method has also shed light on the insecurity and challenges that existing norms and gender-based violence create in public spaces.
Normstorm has enhanced students’ understanding of human rights and inspired community changes, such as the safety project along George Blake Road in Stellenbosch. By improving safety measures, various municipal departments in Stellenbosch have helped create better living conditions and a greater sense of security for road users.
Gender mainstreaming in municipal work
An important lesson for Jönköping municipality is Stellenbosch’s proactive approach to integrating gender equality into decision-making processes. Andreas Persson, municipal councilor in Jönköping, highlights how the collaboration with Stellenbosch has enriched the municipality’s work and contributed to development on multiple levels:
“For Jönköping Municipality, the collaboration with Stellenbosch has provided many important insights and improved working methods. The municipality’s senior managers and politicians have, among other things, received training from Stellenbosch representatives on how to integrate gender equality and citizen dialogues into decision-making processes.”
Photo: Franschhoek High School, great strides have been taken to ensure that girls are empowered to take up their place within schools. Unfortunately, even though girls are experiencing an increase in agency, their voices are often neglected.
Next steps for the partnership
Stellenbosch and Jönköping plan to conclude their collaboration in 2025 with several key activities. Plans include expanding Normstorm to eight new schools in the Cape Winelands District, bringing the total to 11 schools incorporating the method into their curriculum. There are also plans to adapt the method for younger grades in the future.
An exhibition featuring norm-critical photographs by students from both municipalities will open in Jönköping in March 2025 and in Stellenbosch in June 2025, coinciding with Youth Day.
Finally, there are hopes that Jönköping will host a dissemination conference in spring 2025 to showcase the results of the successful municipal partnership. Reflecting on the deeper significance of the collaboration, Andreas Persson concludes:
“International partnerships like this one between us and Stellenbosch remind us that as human beings, we have far more in common than we sometimes realize.”
Normstorm demonstrates how changes beginning in the classroom can lead to broader societal improvements, with norm critique and gender equality playing a central role. Stellenbosch’s efforts may also serve as a model for other municipalities looking to integrate gender equality perspectives at an organizational level.
Photo: ICLD – Poster Presentation of Stellanbosch & Jönköping project