The 10th Education International (EI) World Congress, meeting in Buenos Aires, Argentina, from the 29 July to 2 August 2024:
Notes:
In the past three months, right-wing political parties around the globe have scored election victories, seen an upsurge in support, and have put out manifestos detailing their goals should they achieve power. This is evident in the American context with “Project 2025” documents being released that call for a severe curtailing of LGBTQIA+ rights and protections; "Project 2025" is a sweeping, draconian political plan issued by a conservative advisory group that seeks to remake all aspects of American social policy;
That given the threats made by right-wing political forces, the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) believes an urgent resolution is needed to address these actions;
That as education unions, we have obligations to uphold human rights across the world;
That the protection of human rights regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression is a fundamental principle of EI and its member organisations;
That in the United States, the right-wing is using Project 2025 to outline a path towards passing federal and state laws and regulations that would eliminate protections for students from discrimination based on LGBTQIA+ status, to require schools to use names on birth certificates and pronouns associated with their biological sex, banning transgender people from serving in the military, and to “...defend the First Amendment right of those who would discriminate against LGBTQ+ people.”;
That, in April 2023, Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni signed one of the world's harshest anti-LGBTQ laws, including the death penalty for "aggravated homosexuality";
That the recent electoral victories of far-right political parties in the European parliamentary elections held between the 6th and 9th of June 2024 represent a threat to the human rights of the LGBTQIA+ community, not only in Europe, but worldwide;
That the French Rassemblement National (National Rally) party won 31.5% of the vote, is opposed to surrogacy, believing that it commodifies the human body, and is hostile towards In Vitro Fertilization (IVF);
That the Alternative fur Deutschland (Alternative for Germany) party won 16% of the vote, defines marriage as between a man and a woman, rejects “gender mainstreaming”, believes that “gender indoctrination” is occurring in German schools, and believes that “Information on homo-, trans- and bisexuality should be imparted to a lesser degree in sexual education lessons…”;
That the Belgian Vlaams Belang (Flemish Interest) party won 14% of the vote, and “…opposes reimbursements for gender-affirming surgeries, adjustments to gender registrations on identity cards and gender-neutral toilets.”, are “…no big fans of same-sex adoption…” and believes that “There needs to be a break between LGB and everything after that.”;
That the Freiheitliche Partei Osterreichs (Austrian Freedom Party) won 25.4% of the vote and believes that marriage is between a man and a woman and rejects “…a separate legal institution for same-sex relations.”;
That the Fidesz party in Hungary won 44.82% of the vote, has consistently curbed LGBTQIA+ rights, and has passed a law that “…prohibits the "display or promotion" of homosexuality or gender reassignment in educational material or TV shows for people under 18.”;
And in this Congress’s host country of Argentina, the LGBTQIA+ community and its allies are outraged by President Milei’s anti-LGBTQIA+ agenda, fearing the government has set its sights on rolling back the community’s hard-won gains; in fact, the brash and bigoted Milei has lambasted feminist and human rights movements as a “cult of a gender ideology”.
Believes:
EI and its member organisations have a responsibility to be an advocate for its LGBTQIA+ brothers, sisters, and siblings;
That the increase of status of far-right parties in Europe, the United States, and in Africa (if not throughout the world) will result in an increasing number of anti-LGBTQIA+ policies being debated and implemented;
That increased discrimination of LGBTQIA+ youth will result in increased missed attendance, lower academic performance, higher rates of dropping out of school, increased levels of bullying and harassment, and increased rates of suicide;
That increased discrimination of LGBTQIA+ educators and education support personnel will result in members losing their rights to their jobs, rights in their communities, and, least of all, exacerbate the ongoing shortage problem facing the world.
Resolves:
To continue supporting LGBTQIA+ rights throughout all EI campaigns and policies;
To commit resources to funding LGBTQIA+ inclusive spaces and meetings;
To staunchly defend LGBTQIA+ students, teachers, and school support workers, especially trans and non-binary;
To partner with LGBTQIA+ organisations to develop and distribute educational materials on trans+ health and rights;
To continue to defend school, healthcare and public employee workers who support LGBTQIA+ youth, their families and their community;
To encourage EI member organisations to be vigilant in monitoring and opposing any efforts by the right-wing parties to roll back progressive policies and regulations on LGBTQIA+ people and communities;
To ensure that LGBTQIA+ rights are a central pillar of all EI meetings and conferences.