Publication
Disability-inclusive comprehensive sexuality education in Asia and the Pacific: an assessment of teacher needs
People with disabilities deserve equal access to high-quality education, including comprehensive sexuality education (CSE). Although young people with disabilities are sexually active and have the same concerns about sexuality, relationships and identity as their peers, they are often perceived as either asexual or sexually uninhibited. Misconception and stigma about disability and poor access to sexual and reproductive health services can hinder young people from leading fulfilling sexual lives, enjoying healthy inter-personal relationships and obtaining high-quality CSE, including in formal education.
Despite broad recognition of the high need for relevant education and life skills for all young people, in Asia and the Pacific there is very little documentation on the provision of CSE to young people living with a disability in school, institutional or community settings. While competent and confident teachers are one of the key components of a successful CSE programme, how, and how well teachers are prepared and supported to teach CSE to learners with disabilities are also poorly understood.
This report highlights findings of a study conducted across Asia-Pacific countries on the experiences and professional learning and development needs of teachers for providing responsive and inclusive CSE to learners with disabilities. The research comprises desk review of evidence and teacher training resources; survey data among nearly 4,000 teachers in both mainstream and special education schools; group discussions among educators, learners with disabilities and their parents or caregivers; and, interviews with government policy officials, development partners and civil society organizations working with, and on behalf of learners with disabilities to improve their access to quality, disability-inclusive CSE. A multi-country analysis is complemented by case studies of Mongolia, Nepal and the Philippines, as focus countries of the research.
The study’s analysis seeks to deepen our understanding, and the targeted recommendations aim to inform meaningful action on how to better support teachers in the Asia-Pacific region to provide to diverse learners with disabilities, CSE that responds to their needs and includes their lived realities.
#EducationForHealth #ComprehensiveSexualityEducation #InclusiveEducation #LearnersWithDisabilities
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