Comprehensive Sexuality Education in Ireland: A Children’s Rights Perspective

The right of access to comprehensive sexuality education is grounded in fundamental human rights (UNFPA, UNFPA Operational Guidance for Comprehensive Sexuality Education: A Focus on Human Rights and Gender. New York: UNFPA, 2014). Research in the Irish context has found inconsistency and dissatisfaction with Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) in Irish schools (Mayock et al. RSE in the Context of SPHE: An Assessment of the Challenges to Full Implementation of the Programme in Post-Primary Schools. Dublin: Department of Education and Science DES and Crisis Pregnancy Agency, 2007; Lifeskills Survey, DES. Lifeskills Survey. Dublin: Department of Education and Skills, 2017). Additionally, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child Report for Ireland (2016) has expressed concern at the severe lack of access to sexual and reproductive health education for adolescents and the discrimination of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex children and young people in Ireland. This chapter will explore the manifest need for comprehensive sexuality education in Ireland from a Children’s Rights perspective. The chapter will focus on the Irish context for children and young people’s right to education, and particularly, their right to sexuality education; the role of sexuality education in protecting against abuse and violence and adverse sexual health behaviours; and sexuality education’s role in upholding Gender-and–Sexual-Minority equality and inclusion. Overall, the chapter will examine the critical role of comprehensive sexuality education for empowerment, dignity, safety, and equality of children and young people to promote lifelong optimal health and wellbeing.