On the occasion of Human Rights Day, GALE presented the first world map on the implementation of the right to education for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students. The map was presented at a UNESCO symposium in Paris on the progress of the global strategy to fight homophobic bullying.
Of the 96 countries surveyed, 21% were scored as “denying” for the rights of LGBT students, 19% of the states was scored as “ambiguous” and only 9% of the states could be scored as “supportive.” “Supportive” does not mean that the situation of LGBT students is ideal or even moderately well, but that the government is systematically trying to improve both the legal rights and social situation of LGBT students (and of other students who are excluded because they do not meet stereotypical traditional expectations of gender and sexuality).
GALE succeeded to get feedback for the map from 96 out of the 198 countries in the world. In many countries, even the collection of information on education for LGBT students is dangerous for those who provide the information. In other countries it may be very difficult because there is no information available. GALE suspects that the situation is mostly very negative for LGBT students in 51% of the countries that still need to be explored.
The presentation of the GALE world map was well received at the UNESCO meeting, where more than 100 government representatives and activists were present. The official representative of Brazil argued for the inclusion of sexual diversity in the new wording of the Millennium Development Goal for education and for naming specific LGBT indicators in monitoring the progress of the implementation of this goal.
The map can be downloaded here:
Front Page: http://www.gale.info/doc/gale_
Backpage: http://www.gale.info/doc/gale_
