Delegates to the UN have denounced a report that promotes a new ‘human right’ to explicit sexual education for .jpg)
young children.
Representatives of the African and Caribbean blocs led the attacks on the report by registering their “strong rejection” and “strong disapproval.”
The report, Report of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the right to education [1], claims a new ‘human right’ to sexual education citing non-binding recommendations and other UN reports including the controversial UNESCO guidelines on sexual education and the Yogyakarta Principles.
The report’s author, Vernor Muñoz Villalobos, who up until last July was the UN’s Special Rapporteur on the Right to Education, argues that States have an obligation to ensure this new right “from the early stages of life.”
It says that States should ensure “the inclusion of comprehensive sexual education from primary school onwards, taking into account secondary school enrolment rates, the age of first intercourse and other variables in a context of respect and adaptability based on the age of students and the capacities associated withtheir levels of emotional and cognitive development”.
Mr Muñoz submitted his report to the UN without being present to defend his recommendations and analysis, a highly unusual procedure.
While acknowledging the right of parents to choose their children’s education, which is part of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, he adds “this authority may never run counter to the rights of children and adolescents.”
According to Mr Muñoz, comprehensive sexual education goes beyond simple biological or reproductive information.
The report also insists that sexual education include information on “sexual diversity”, despite the fact that there is an ongoing debate at the UN over terms dealing with “sexual orientation” and “gender identity,”
The report also criticises abstinence programs, arguing that they normalise stereotypes and promote discriminatory images because they are based on “heteronormativity.”
The report also argues that denying the existence of lesbian, gay, transsexual, transgender and bisexual population exposes these groups to discrimination.
Although delegates were unable to address Mr Muñoz directly, those representing Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean and the Organization of Islamic Conference lined up to denounce the report.
According to the US based pro-life organisation, C-Fam, they criticised the report’s attempt to redefine the human rights system and introduce controversial topics such as sexual orientation, sexuality education and gender identity as universally accepted concepts.
Malawi, on behalf of the African bloc, pointed out that there was “no universal agreement on the notions of sexual education.”
The report’s attempt to create a new right and reinterpret the existing understanding of human rights “flouted” the code of conduct, Malawi said. The African group said that the report used selective quotes from other UN documents, which do not constitute a “truthful reflection of objective facts”.
The Caribbean bloc also registered its “strong disapproval of this attempt by Muñoz to create a new right within the universally established right to education, far exceeding his mandate.” The Caribbean countries charged Mr Muñoz with “indulging his personal interests at the expense” of delegations and demanded a re-written report that followed the guidelines set by the UN.
While many others — including Russia, South Africa, Morocco, the Arab Group, the Holy See and the United States — also denounced the assertion of a new right to comprehensive sexual education, Switzerland, Norway, Canada, and Argentina were supportive. The European Union “fully and wholeheartedly” expressed its support for Mr Muñoz and his report.
The General Assembly took no action on the report this week, but it is expected to consider it again in December.