Tell me who I am.

Gender is an inseparable part of many people’s lives. In addition to the fact that quality education in line with international standards is necessary for children and adolescents in this area, access to such education is also considered one of their rights. Children need to receive education about sexual orientations, gender identities, and healthy sexual behaviors before engaging in sexual activity, in order to be prepared for healthy and mutually satisfying relationships. This education should be tailored to the different stages of children’s development and take into account their capacity to understand at each stage. Comprehensive sexual education is a part of quality education that should be mandated by law and implemented at all ages and in all sectors of the education system.

Education in this field has received attention from international institutions in recent years; for example, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Education emphasized in a report in 2010 the right to comprehensive sexual education, stating: “Sexual education must be recognized as a right in itself and be in accordance with and related to other human rights.” The need for education on gender and sexuality has also been accepted in the UNESCO 2030 Sustainable Development Education document and has been placed on the agenda for achievement. In this document, the goal of sexual education is to equip children and adolescents with knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values that enable them to understand their rights, health, and values, and to create social and sexual relationships free from violence and discrimination, based on respect for their own and others’ rights. Many European Union member states have made significant progress in providing gender and sexuality-related education in schools and improving its content in recent decades, to the extent that this content includes aspects beyond biology and

Media and figures close to conservatives in Iran have referred to this document as a “conspiracy” and “infiltration”. One of the serious criticisms of this document is that by promoting comprehensive sexual education, it goes against the culture of Iranian youth and adolescents by introducing premature sexual stimulation. These objections have been expressed in statements such as “sexualizing children at a young age, promoting homosexuality, and spreading sexual ideology.”

Of course, the rejection of document 2030 has many consequences; problems that have existed in the past and if effective action is not taken in this area, they may continue in the future. Sexual violence against children within the family, early pregnancy, and increased risk of sexually transmitted diseases are among these problems. Furthermore, ignoring the wide spectrum of sexual orientations and gender identities that lead to the production and reproduction of gender stereotypes and make conditions more difficult for children and adolescents who are part of sexual minority groups, causes them to be at greater risk of self-harm or suicide; also, children and adolescents with physical and mental limitations, despite their severe vulnerability to sexual abuse, are often deprived of access to sufficient information about their desires and sexual relationships. Unfortunately, many of them do not even have access to basic education and their sexual desires are ignored or even considered as a problem.

At the same time, due to quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic and the start of online schooling for children and adolescents, they have become increasingly vulnerable to online crimes, online sexual harassment, cyberbullying, or other forms of sexual exploitation facilitated by information and communication technologies. Additionally, the online space can also transmit inaccurate information or distorted images of sexual desires and sexual rights to children and adolescents. However, given the current censorship conditions, the online space is the only available way to provide useful and appropriate education and information, like a double-edged sword alongside all its drawbacks – subject to the provision of safe and widespread virtual spaces for all children. There are also Persian-language resources available on the Persian web that work with participatory and learner-centered approaches to provide real and non-stereotypical information on gender and sexuality education tailored to the age and cultural conditions of Iranian children. These teachings can help combat homophobia and transphobia in schools and beyond, creating a safe environment for everyone.

Despite all the challenges and resistance against sexual education, the awareness of parents and guardians can play a crucial role. Knowing that comprehensive sexual education means awareness of a child’s rights and respect for the rights of others can help a child develop a positive attitude towards their sexual desires and healthy personal relationships from a young age. It can also strengthen valuable life skills such as self-confidence, critical thinking, and the ability to make informed decisions.

This is a familiar phrase that we have mostly heard: “Child rearing begins twenty years before their birth”; based on this belief, in order to create an informed society in future generations, we must raise today’s children, who will be adults tomorrow, to be aware and enlightened.