UNESCO

Russia: Chatbot answers young people’s questions about HIV, health and relationships

A chatbot named Eli that can answer questions about growing up, love, relationships and sexual health, including HIV prevention and treatment, has been launched on the VKontakte social network, adding to the resources for health available to young people in eastern Europe and central Asia.

Europe: Comprehensive sexuality education protects children and helps build a safer, inclusive society

Comprehensive sexuality education is part of a good quality education. Thus, it should be provided for by law, be mandatory and mainstreamed across the education system as of the early school years. It is of concern that, according to a 2018 survey, sexuality education was mandatory in only 11 out of the 22 Council of Europe member states reviewed.

Dispelling the Myths About Sexuality Education

All girls and boys – and all women and men, for that matter – can benefit from comprehensive knowledge about safe sexual behavior. Yet opposition to sexuality education is loud, persistent, and widespread, often because critics lack an accurate understanding of what it entails.

China: Eliminating gender-based violence through policy and legal advocacy

Close to 100 people took part in a national conference this week in Beijing to examine the current state of gender-based violence in schools and families in China, exchange best practices and strategies, and propose policy recommendations to be taken forward with the government.

UN urges comprehensive approach to sexuality education

The International technical guidance on sexuality education (the Guidance) was developed to assist education, health and other relevant authorities in the development and implementation of school-based and out-of-school comprehensive sexuality education programmes and materials.

Philippines: Are we progressing from insult to inclusion? Expert consultation on education sector responses to violence on basis of SOGIE

Governments across the Asia-Pacific region have signed on to a range of international agreements to protect and uphold the rights of all children and young people to a safe and quality education.

UNESCO: Report shows homophobic and transphobic violence in education to be a global problem

In some countries, 85% of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students experience homophobic and transphobic violence in school, 45 % of transgender students drop out. Homophobic violence also targets 33% of students who are wrongly perceived to be LGBT because they do not appear to conform to gender norms.

These are the findings from Out In The Open, a global report on education sector responses to violence based on sexual orientation and gender identity or expression. Compiled by UNESCO, the report reveals the nature, scope and impact of the violence, the status of education sector responses and recommendations for the way forward.   Read more via UNESCO 

UNESCO: How can we go ‘From Insult to Inclusion’ for all learners?

The majority of LGBTI youth in Asia-Pacific say they have been subjected to some form of violence or bullying in school. This can take many forms – physical, verbal, psychological or sexual abuse or social exclusion both online and off. The end result remains the same: millions of young learners throughout the Asia-Pacific region are being denied their right to an education.  The impacts can be lifelong and devastating in terms of economic and employment prospects, as well as on a personal level: Asia-Pacific studies show that up to one in three LGBTI learners report depression; up to seven in 10 report harming themselves and nearly five in 10 have attempted suicide.

“From Insult to Inclusion”, the first review of its kind to comprehensively examine these challenges in Asia-Pacific, looks at the broader legal and educational contexts in countries throughout the region related to bullying on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity and expression, and features the voices of young learners themselves and their personal stories of abuse and exclusion. Concrete steps that education sector planners, teachers, school leaders and communities throughout the region can take to address this situation are also presented.   Read more via UNESCO