End Gender-Based Violence - Plan International Ireland

“EDUCATING YOUNG PEOPLE IS THE ONLY TRUE, LONG-TERM SOLUTION TO GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE. HOWEVER, IT MUST BE HIGH-QUALITY, AGE-APPROPRIATE, AND EVIDENCE-BASED COMPREHENSIVE SEXUALITY EDUCATION.” UNESCO 2018

While Plan International Ireland welcomes Helen McEntee’s renewed focus on domestic, sexual, and gender-based violence, we must ensure that no time is wasted.

Changes to the curricula for Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) and Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) across primary and post-primary schools have been in motion since 2018 and have still not been delivered. The current curriculum dates back to 1999.

Both Plan International Safer Cities research in 2018 and Knowhere to Go in 2021 have highlighted these important issues and the urgent need for reform. In 2018 we highlighted that 93% of women feel unsafe in public places because of their gender. At that time we called on local politicians and councils to engage young women in the decision making process to make public areas safer. In 2021 we highlighted the need for a reform of the curriculum due to 85% of young people reporting receiving mis-information on sexual and reproductive health.

Plan International Ireland are calling on the Government to implement an emergency reform of the RSE curriculum in line with international best practice. Resolving gender based issues takes time to make an impact – lets start today with education. We can’t wait any longer.

An End to Gender-Based Violence Must Start with Education

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