Publication
Safe, seen and included: report on school-based sexuality education
Why we must empower all learners through inclusive comprehensive sexuality education
All children, adolescents and young people have the right to 鈥渋nclusive and equitable quality education鈥 (Sustainable Development Goal 4) that values and nurtures them. This is true for sexuality education just like any other subject on the school timetable.
While global progress has been made on inclusion, this progress cannot be taken for granted. Ensuring that all learners feel safe, seen and included means fostering safe spaces at school, working with educators to better understand and address potential bias within teaching and learning, and investing in well-designed curricula and training. Inclusive sexuality education benefits all learners. The broader societal contexts and legal frameworks within which schools operate are also factors that can shape how progress toward inclusion is made, no matter the starting point.
Discrimination and bias based on where a person comes from, what language they speak, and what gender they identify with including in relation to sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, is harmful to learners in and through their education, and in turn their lives.
The report contains country case studies and good practice examples from diverse contexts, with key findings and recommendations for policymakers and practitioners. It highlights the need to consider the social and political environment, adapting sexuality education content to national and local realities, such as various representations of sexuality, diversity and language. This report demonstrates that countries across different regions have successfully adapted their policies, curricula, and/or teacher training approaches to provide more inclusive sexuality education.
