[2][3] Very few countries have education sector policies that address homophobic and transphobic violence or include sexual orientation and gender identity/expression in curricula or learning materials.
In most countries, staff lack training and support to address sexual orientation and gender identity/expression and to prevent and respond to homophobic and transphobic violence.
Few countries collect data on the nature, prevalence or impact of homophobic and transphobic violence, which contributes to low awareness of the problem and lack of evidence for planning effective responses.
Reviews of existing programs that encompass the participation of the students, teachers, and community as a whole have demonstrated their ability in preventing and reducing suicide attempts and peer-to-peer aggression.
[5] Progress in implementing measures to prevent and address homophobic and transphobic violence in educational settings varies between regions and countries.
The most comprehensive initiatives are being implemented in Australia and New Zealand, Canada and the United States, and a number of countries in Europe, Asia and Latin America.
However, the education sector response has been limited in the majority of countries in the world, particularly in Africa, the Caribbean, the Middle East, Central Asia and some areas of the Pacific.
[6][1] All other countries in the Asia region, apart from Pakistan, have legal or policy frameworks to address violence in educational institutions or the health of minors, although they vary in their nature and jurisdiction.
[7][1] In 2002, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that LGBT students and same-sex parents had the right to be safe from discrimination and to see their lives reflected in the school curriculum.
In Quebec, legislation was adopted in 2012 for schools to provide healthy and safe learning environments, allowing every student to develop their full potential regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity/expression.
[14] The Department of Justice also clarified that transgender students must be allowed to use restrooms that correspond to their gender identity and that failure to do so amounts to sex discrimination under Title IX.
The Act explicitly mentions sexual orientation and gender reassignment and mandates that every school should have a behavior policy preventing all forms of bullying.
The limited number of LGBTs in education, employment, and health care can be explained with reference to structural barriers against the coming out of LGBT individuals both to their peers at school and work.
[26] Also in Australia, the State of Victoria's Department of Education and Early Childhood Development provides guidance to support sexual diversity in schools.
[1] In Africa, a review of policies on gender, diversity and violence in schools in Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa and Swaziland – conducted within the study supported by UNESCO in 2015 – found that countries have generic legal and policy frameworks (including in education) that provide a conducive environment to address violence in schools.
Swaziland has an education sector policy where Schools as Centres of Care and Support (SCCS) are supposed to be 'protective and secure environments that accommodate all learners'.
The UNESCO-supported study found that, in interview, national policy-makers in Southern Africa suggest that the overall absence of specific policies may reflect the lack of reliable evidence on the nature, prevalence and impact of homophobic and transphobic violence in educational settings in the region, or that it is not considered a political priority.
Finally, national anti-discrimination laws in Southern Africa (whether or not they mention sexual orientation and gender identity/expression) may also provide good entry points for the education sector to consider adopting new policies or upgrading existing ones.
Through their content and the way that they are delivered, curricula, learning materials and extra-curricular activities in educational settings – such as sports or theatre – convey influential messages about 'normality', legitimacy and power.
On the contrary, hostile curricula contribute to reinforcing stereotypical and patriarchal views of gender – directly leading to homophobic and transphobic violence.
In contrast, inclusive or affirming curricula may discuss definitions of masculinity and femininity and challenge existing stereotypes about gender and sexuality – contributing to increasing LGBTI students' feeling of belonging and safety.
[29][30][1] Research suggests that curricula featuring sexual orientation and gender identity/expression positively impact students' and teachers' beliefs and attitudes, encouraging critical thinking and increasing feelings of safety at school.