HRC53: Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on Education

This oral statement was broadcasted at the 53rd Session of the Human Rights Council Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on Education. Watch the video statement here. 

Distinguished Delegates

I am Bipana Shrestha and I am making this statement on behalf of the Asian Pacific Resource and Research Centre for Women (ARROW), Right Here Right Now (RHRN) Bangladesh and Nepal, Rutgers, and CHOICE for Youth and Sexuality.

We welcome your report and commend the attention paid to the rights of adolescents and children including those who are out-of-school to learn about important issues such as Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) and acknowledging the States’ reservation to respect and protect this element of education. In line with this, we request to address this issue and strengthen the commitments made by governments to integrate CSE into the national curriculum as well as into non formal education for out of school adolescents as per the International Technical Guidance on Sexuality Education (ITGSE) .

It is encouraging that in some countries efforts have been made to ensure the delivery of CSE through legal and policy measures. However, in practice, in most of the countries particularly in the Asia Pacific, the curriculum does not comprehensively cover topics of sexuality and sexual health and is only mandated to include the components of reproductive health and STIs[1].

We, therefore call on the member states to take the following actions:

  • Allocate adequate resources for the comprehensive integration of CSE into the national curriculum.
  • Intersectoral partnership between all tiers of government, UN agencies, development sector, civil society organizations(CSOs), media etc. should be strengthened to ensure effective implementation, accountability and policy monitoring.
  • Efforts should be made to engage parents, religious leaders, and community members to promote a supportive environment for CSE.
  • Digital learning opportunities especially for the marginalized should be improved with increased access to CSE and access to SRHR information.
  • It is crucial to implement capacity-building initiatives for teachers, including the use of interactive teaching materials, to confidently deliver comprehensive sexuality education.

[1] https://arrow.org.my/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/ARROW-SRHR-AP-Scoping-Study-on-Youth-SRHR-in-Asia-Pacific.pdf

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Vietnam

  • Centre for Creative Initiatives in Health and Population (CCIHP)

Indonesia

  • Aliansi Satu Visi (ASV);
  • CEDAW Working Group;
  • Hollaback! Jakarta;
  • Institut Kapal Perempuan;
  • Kalyanamitra;
  • Komnas Perempuan;
  • Remaja Independen Papua/Independent Youth
    Forum Papua (FRIP/IYFP);
  • Perkumpulan Keluarga Berencana Indonesia (PKBI);
  • Perkumpulan Lintas Feminis Jakarta;
  • Perkumpulan Pamflet Generasi;
  • RUTGERS Indonesia;
  • Sanggar SWARA;
  • Women on Web;
  • Yayasan Kesehatan Perempuan (YKP); 
  • YIFOS Indonesia

Maldives

  • Hope for Women
  • Society for Health Education (SHE)

Bangladesh

HRC53: Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on Education

This oral statement was broadcasted at the 53rd Session of the Human Rights Council Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on Education. Watch the video statement here. 

Distinguished Delegates

I am Bipana Shrestha and I am making this statement on behalf of the Asian Pacific Resource and Research Centre for Women (ARROW), Right Here Right Now (RHRN) Bangladesh and Nepal, Rutgers, and CHOICE for Youth and Sexuality.

We welcome your report and commend the attention paid to the rights of adolescents and children including those who are out-of-school to learn about important issues such as Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) and acknowledging the States’ reservation to respect and protect this element of education. In line with this, we request to address this issue and strengthen the commitments made by governments to integrate CSE into the national curriculum as well as into non formal education for out of school adolescents as per the International Technical Guidance on Sexuality Education (ITGSE) .

It is encouraging that in some countries efforts have been made to ensure the delivery of CSE through legal and policy measures. However, in practice, in most of the countries particularly in the Asia Pacific, the curriculum does not comprehensively cover topics of sexuality and sexual health and is only mandated to include the components of reproductive health and STIs[1].

We, therefore call on the member states to take the following actions:

  • Allocate adequate resources for the comprehensive integration of CSE into the national curriculum.
  • Intersectoral partnership between all tiers of government, UN agencies, development sector, civil society organizations(CSOs), media etc. should be strengthened to ensure effective implementation, accountability and policy monitoring.
  • Efforts should be made to engage parents, religious leaders, and community members to promote a supportive environment for CSE.
  • Digital learning opportunities especially for the marginalized should be improved with increased access to CSE and access to SRHR information.
  • It is crucial to implement capacity-building initiatives for teachers, including the use of interactive teaching materials, to confidently deliver comprehensive sexuality education.

[1] https://arrow.org.my/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/ARROW-SRHR-AP-Scoping-Study-on-Youth-SRHR-in-Asia-Pacific.pdf

Morocco

  • Association Marocaine de Planification Familiale (AMPF),
  • Morocco Family Planning Association

Cambodia

Fiji

India

  • CommonHealth;
  • Love Matters India;
  • Pravah;
  • Rural Women’s Social Education Centre (RUWSEC);
  • SAHAYOG;
  • Sahaj;
  • Sahiyo;
  • SAMA – Resource Group for Women and Health;
  • WeSpeakOut;
  • The YP Foundation (TYPF)

Lao PDR

  • Lao Women’s Union;
  • The Faculty of Postgraduate Studies at the University of Health
    Sciences (UHS)

Sri Lanka

  • Bakamoono;
  • Women and Media Collective (WMC),
  • Youth Advocacy Network – Sri Lanka (YANSL)

Malaysia

  • Federation of Reproductive Health Associations of Malaysia (FRHAM);
  • Joint Action Group for Gender Equality (JAG);
  • Justice for Sisters (JFS);
  • Reproductive Health Association of
    Kelantan (ReHAK);
  • Reproductive Rights Advocacy Alliance Malaysia (RRAAM);
  • Sisters in Islam (SIS)

Maldives

  • Hope for Women;
  • Society for Health Education (SHE)

Myanmar

  • Colourful Girls Organization;
  • Green Lotus Myanmar

Nepal

  • Beyond Beijing Committee (BBC);
  • Blind Youth Association of Nepal;
  • Blue Diamond Society (BDS);
  • Nepalese Youth for Climate Action (NYCA);
  • Visible Impact;
  • Women’s Rehabilitation Centre (WOREC);
  • YPEER Nepal;
  • YUWA

Pakistan

  • Aahung, Centre for Social Policy Development (CSPD);
  • Forum for Dignity Initiative (FDI);
  • Gravity Development Organization; Green Circle Organization;
  • Indus Resources Center (IRC);
  • Idara-e-Taleem-O-Aaghai (ITA);
  • Rehnuma – Family Planning Association Pakistan;
  • Shelter
    Participatory Organisation;
  • Shirkat Gah;
  • The Enlight Lab

Philippines

  • Democratic Socalist Women of the Philippines (DSWP);
  • Galang;
  • Healthcare Without Harm;
  • Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities;
  • Likhaan Centre for Women’s Health;
  • Nisa UI Haqq Fi Bangsamoro;
  • PATH Foundation Inc. (PFPI);
  • Women’s Global Network for
    Reproductive Rights (WGNRR)

Singapore

  • End Female Genital Cutting Singapore
  • Reproductive Rights (WGNRR)

Mongolia

  • MONFEMNET National Network