Conference Program

The report “Comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) country profiles” by UNESCO’s Global Education Monitoring Programme argues that, in order to promote a culture of emotional and sexual well-being, it is necessary to adopt a holistic and cross-cutting approach that takes into account every aspect of life and is addressed from childhood onwards as a process of support for growth, adapted to each age in a manner consistent with the development of each individual’s capabilities.

Discussing affectivity and sexuality in schools also means creating a shared vocabulary, not only amongst the student body but also within the formal and non-formal educational community, which enables a broad and unified approach to topics such as consent, boundaries and desire, thereby reducing subjective interpretations linked to a stereotypical patriarchal culture.

Educating on differences, of which the authors of this contribution are a part, involves the drafting of a reasoned glossary, identifying the words and vocabulary to be shared among teachers at all school levels, educators, and families. This paper aims to provide an update on the progress of the glossary currently under development.

Sexual and emotional education enables us to work on group dynamics, the ability to name emotions, listen to one another, and ask questions in order to make informed choices; it helps us develop strategies for responding to aggression and discrimination, and for escaping controlling and violent relationships – fundamental skills for building active citizenship and a democratic society that places care and rights at its heart.

This approach serves as a primary tool for combating gender-based violence, bullying and discrimination linked to gender, cultural background, sexual orientation, disability and age.

Following the attacks on sex and relationship education programmes in schools by the Meloni government through Minister Valditara’s draft bill (DDL) of 23 May 2025, which deals with ‘Provisions regarding informed consent in schools’ and in the absence of a law guaranteeing children’s right to sex and emotional education programmes, it is becoming increasingly necessary to integrate a gender perspective and the Comprehensive Sexuality Education approach into the school curricula of the first cycle of education (nursery, primary and lower secondary).