The 7th Education International (EI) World Congress meeting in Ottawa, Canada, from 21nd to 26th July 2015:
Notes:
1. That defending the human and trades union rights of all people around the world is a fundamental principle enshrined in international laws;
2. That the promotion, protection and defense of human rights irrespective of sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression is an important principle adopted by EI and its affiliate organisations;
3. The persistence of homophobic and transphobic hatred and the rising levels of hatred against LGBTI people as a result of the passage of laws that criminalise and stigmatise LGBTI communities;
4. That in 78 countries the law criminalises homosexuality, creating the conditions that encourage the abuse, harassment, intimidation, violence and murder of people on the grounds of their actual or assumed sexuality or gender identity or gender expression;
5. That the incitement of hatred and legitimising anti-gay laws is a direct contravention of EU and international human rights obligations including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights (Article 21);
6. The growing problem of hate speech and hate crime motivated by prejudice, discrimination and bigotry against LGBTI people;
7. That hate crime and hate speech against LGBTI communities often go unreported due to fear of victimisation and reprisals.
Further notes:
8. The 2014 Joint EI-PSI Statement on LGBTI violations condemning discrimination and violence against LGBTI people and calling for the global trade union movement to actively oppose homophobia and transphobia and organise to defend LGBTI rights;
9. Evidence demonstrating that discrimination in education continues to blight the lives of children, young people, teachers, researchers and education support professionals who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans or intersex;
10. The beliefs in teacher rights to same-sex marriage, spousal health and property benefits and child custody and adoption has been slowly shifting in the policies of many countries.
11. The work of organisations such as the International Lesbian, Gay Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA) and its member organisations in securing equal rights for LGBTI people around the world.
Believes:
12. That a violation of these rights by governments, political parties and other organisations is a legitimate trade union issue and one that should be challenged collectively by the trade union movement;
13. That the trade union movement is a formidable force for championing LGBTI rights and working in solidarity with the international community;
14. That schools, colleges and higher education institutions should be free from hatred, prejudice, intimidation and violence and be safe sanctuaries for children, young people, teachers, researchers and education support personnel;
15. That schools, colleges and higher education institutions play a key role in educating their students, staff and communities about gender identity and expression and against homophobia and transphobia through development and implementation of a diversity mission and a strategic plan that includes curriculum subjects and effective employment policies.
Resolves:
16. To champion LGBTI rights throughout all EI campaigns and policies;
17. To commit resources of Education International to lobby governments to end the criminalising and persecution of LGBTI people and to campaign for human rights for all;
18. To denounce situations of discrimination that the collective is suffering and which are based in a society that still maintains large stereotypes and prejudice against LGBTI people.”
19. To assist the work of EI member organisations in defending the rights of LGBTI students, teachers, researchers and education support personnel;
20. To work actively with partner organisations to promote LGBTI rights;
21. To demand that educational administrations and companies adopt measures to build contexts of work safer and more conducive to sexual diversity and gender identity
22. To collect, publish and disseminate evidence on the incidence and impact of LGBTI discrimination in education.
23. To consider it necessary that teaching staff are trained to provide an equal and respectful education taking into account gender and sexual diversity
24. To consider as a priority the teaching of school programmatic contents related to respect for sexual and gender diversity and the adoption of the necessary actions at the school level to eradicate “lgtbifobia” as well as the implementation of strategies to incorporate trans students to the school system
25. To promote school books and educational material, which are free of discrimination, which consider all forms of sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression and which are free of stereotyping