Beyond the facts: Addressing gender-based violence through comprehensive sexuality education in schools in Ethiopia

Mat, Marielle L.J. Le

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Dissertation / thesis

Title:	Beyond the facts: Addressing gender-based violence through comprehensive sexuality education in schools in Ethiopia
Author:	Mat, Marielle L.J. Le
Year:	2020
Pages:	168
Language:	English
Type of thesis:	Ph.D. dissertation (2020-03-12)
City of publisher:	Amsterdam
Publisher:	University of Amsterdam
Geographic term:	Ethiopia
Subjects:	gender-based violence sexuality education gender sexual offences violence dissertations (form)
External link:	https://hdl.handle.net/11245.1/0b4bb728-77d2-4075-94de-f6479d57ca40
Abstract:	Gender-based violence is pervasive in schools around the world, yet it has been, and continues to be, one of the most silenced educational problems. Recent studies have brought to light the alarming scope and consequences of gender-based violence in education. Comprehensive sexuality education is one globally promoted policy to address gender-based violence in education that has received growing attention. By presenting young people with factual information about their sexual health, comprehensive sexuality education aims not only to equip young men and young women with the skills to maintain their health, but also to encourage positive gender relations. While comprehensive sexuality education is embraced by some, it is also controversial in many societies. Concerns emanate from diverging interpretations of the nature and desired outcomes of sexuality education, as well as issues related to the imperialistic history of the international development industry. In light of such questions and debates, this research scrutinises how comprehensive sexuality education can contribute to addressing gender-based violence, and seeks to make an empirical contribution to answering that question. The research focuses on schools in Ethiopia - where rates of gender-based violence are high and comprehensive sexuality education is particularly controversial. The views of young people and teachers, those who directly interact with comprehensive sexuality education at school, are given a central place in this research. Their experiences are essential for understanding the root causes and contextual dynamics of gender-based violence in schools, and for untangling how comprehensive sexuality education might adequately address them. The study recommends that comprehensive sexuality education should go 'beyond the facts': in addition to presenting factual information, it should pay attention to emotional, symbolic, and power relations, in order to address gender-based violence in more comprehensive ways.

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