Human Rights and Sexual Abuse

Addressing Sexual Harassment in School: Using a Human Rights Framework.

The webinar exploring sexual harassment in school using a human rights framework was a fantastic opportunity to understand sexual abuse in schools, and human rights education as a right and an obligation. We recommend that you watch the video recording of the webinar as it offers important insights that can help all teachers and educators in understanding how these topics are combined.

You can see the presentation in the video here: 

The questions and participation were not included in the video, but have been summarised here as they add to the conversation, and we wanted to share these ideas too.


An introduction to the hosts.


Audrey Osler is a Professor of Education at the University of South-Eastern Norway and at the University of Leeds, UK. She is Editor-in-Chief of  Human Rights Education Review. She has expertise in working for reconciliation in post-conflict settings in Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Her most recent book is Human rights and schooling: an ethical framework for teaching for social justice and she is currently writing Where are you from? No, where are you really from? drawing on history and memoir to discuss empire, migration and belonging (Virago Press, 2022). 

Twitter: @ÁudreyOsler:


Beate Goldschmidt-Gjerløw is a researcher and PhD candidate at Agder University in Norway. Beate is a political scientist specialized in peace studies and conflict transformation. She has taught politics and human rights for many years in upper secondary schools and is lecturing in teacher education programs at various universities and colleges in Norway. Her current research explores how teachers address sexual violence in upper secondary schools. Beate is editing the anthology Controversial, emotional and sensitive issues in school (Universitetsforlaget, 2021). You can find out more about her research and publications here

Twitter: @beate_gold


Key questions from the webinar


Question - I was a primary teacher and I think young children can suffer the same social injustice and have a similar experience of not being listened to. Have you any work that you can cite that shows that very young children also need to be aware of what their human rights are, and be aware that they have the right to be listened to and not to be sexually harassed because they can experience this in muted ways as well as overtly. Is there any information on this?


Audrey Osler - I would just say that in the UK we have a comprehensive Rights Respecting Schools programme on child rights education in some schools, developed by UNESCO. Where children do learn about their right to express themselves and to be confident to ask questions to engage with human rights in this very concrete way, they are able to address everyday issues, and understand sexual harassment and other concerns. However, I have a reservation also because I have come across examples of Rights Respecting Schools that may contradict this. Some human rights education  may be more concerned with certain forms of discipline to manage children’s behaviour. So, I think that any of these programmes can be used for good or ill.


Participant Comment - Thank you for a letting me join in, I am a former primary school teacher myself and I'm now currently doing a PhD focused on primary school teacher’s ability to detect and intervene towards harmful sexual behaviour in primary school. So, it is good that we can cover all stages of school here. Teaching children from a very young age how to voice their opinion, and how to tell people about violations of human rights, not only sexual but any, is essential for children. The teacher has such an important role in modelling the behaviour you want to see in creating a safe space for children to talk. I mean the safe space has to be there regardless, for children to exercise their participatory rights and controversial issues.


Answer from participant and Ph.D. Research Fellow Kjersti Draugedalen - We have all this research from not only Norway but from worldwide, saying that children and young people who are sexually abused can take around 17 years to tell anyone. But if you as a professional can become this significant other, the chances are much higher for children to actually share these kinds of traumatic experiences sooner. However, teachers tend to outsource this difficult teaching about sexual violence, and when you outsource it to people there isn’t necessarily that special bond and it disables that communication, because you don't have that fundamental trust that is needed. Schools often outsource their human rights education as well through NGOs and so on, which kind of amplifies the problem.


Question - Do Teachers have a legal obligation to report any suspected mistreatment of students to a governmental body? For example in Canada when a teacher suspects mistreatments they are obligated to report the case to the children's aid society and social services. Is that the same across the world?


Beate - It is in the Norwegian legal framework, the Norwegian Education Act, that if there are suspicions that any learner is experiencing violence, there is a duty to act and it depends on the nature of the violence how it is reported. If it's sexual violence they should report to the child protection service if they have a suspicion, and if they have a very firm suspicion they can also contact the police.


That leads nicely onto another question that we've had. Which is about what is unprofessional and illegal in terms of sexual harassment. A teacher who was doing some training said that the other teachers were asking what specifically are the terms for sexual harassment.


Experiencing sexual harassment is very subjective and it entails all forms of unwanted sexual attention and it can be verbal, it can be digital, it can be non-verbal, through body language and it can also be physical. So, it has both verbal and non-verbal, and physical dimensions. Harassment can take many forms, it can be sexual harassment, it can be heterosexual harassment, it can be harassment that is based on sexual orientation, or harassment based on gender non conformity. So, there are many different faces of harassment.


Question- Nice to meet you thank you so much for the good presentation. I've just recently trained teachers on school related gender-based violence and they really paid great attention, and they were very happy when I read the violation paper. I also include a pledge to do something about our past violence. When I read these documents, many of them were all missing that part. If I have another chance to train teachers, how best can I get them to commit to things like documenting the cases and referring these cases of violence against children?


Beate - Thank you, I would speak very warmly of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and highlight that every child has the right to education, and the right to education also includes the right to sexual education, and that sexual education also includes education on sexual violence. Include articles about children’s rights to protection and the right to be heard. I would very much link it to the rights of the child.


But perhaps you would prefer more didactical resources? I've written about different kinds of resources that you can use in my paper on children's rights and teacher responsibilities. These include all sorts of things from picture books, digital resources and all kinds of things you can use.


Audrey - Young children are often very excited to learn they have rights, and to understand them. However, many people fear that children who are told about having rights will take advantage of that. But I have never really found that to be the case, because children also stand up for each other, and protect each other. I think most education that equips children with rights doesn't actually threaten the adult, or others.


We are all interconnected, and I think that activist element is teaching children from a very young age that they have rights, but they also have responsibilities to each other, to help uphold each other's rights. I think that creates very responsible, and very caring young people. I think it's a very powerful way of building on the caring that children bring to school, and it's building on the caring they do for their siblings and friends when they arrive in school. It's a very basic everyday action, it's not just dealing with the critical incidents that can happen.


Participant Comment – I’d like to see these things added to the curriculum here in Sierra Leone, so that teachers can incorporate this into their teaching. Otherwise, teachers won’t include it, because they won’t think about it, and understand the necessity of it, because they spend all their time on curriculum subjects. Thank you.


Thank you for reading, we hope that you have been able to watch the video too, as it offers an invaluable insight into this topic.

Please leave your comments below to tell us your thoughts too. Do you feel confident about how to approach incidents of sexual violence and harassment in school?

Steve Sinnott Foundation • February 26, 2021

Sustainable Development Goal 4

By Matthew Round • June 4, 2025
Defining Success in Education: Bridging Gaps for a Better Future Education is often seen as the gateway to personal and societal advancement through personal betterment. But defining success in education requires a deeper understanding than just academic achievement, it isn’t just about qualifications or certificates. Rather educational success is about ensuring access to learning that is inclusive, equitable and quality-driven. It’s about equipping students with critical thinking skills and the space to be creative. A quality education fosters holistic approaches, promoting emotional, social and intellectual growth. On a societal level, educational success is about ensuring we value and appreciate a society wide distribution of knowledge and skills; that diversity of thought can be just as important as orthodoxy. Ensuring Access to Education that Meets Individual Needs Traditional western forms of education based within on e-size-fits all models are inadequate in a world where learners have diverse backgrounds, abilities and needs. A shift is needed away from the top-down deficit model approaches which assume teaching and learning is transactional or akin to filling empty vessels, or as Paulo Freire described it, the Banking Model of teaching. Success in education will come from programmes that respect differences between individuals and across communities, using, for example, adaptive learning approaches. Additionally, integrating support for learners with neurodivergent needs or disabilities, as well as promoting (and indeed funding) digital literacy, can ensure that education is individual but also focused on the emancipatory effects of education. Gender and Racial Equity: The Pillars of Inclusive Education Gender and racial equity are crucial components of a successful education system and a founding component of Sustainable Development Goal 4. Although there has been significant progress here, disparities globally still persist. Barriers such as gender-based violence, early marriage and inadequate school infrastructure pose challenges for the international community. Similarly, racial inequality in education can manifest in various ways, from lower access to quality schooling to biased curricula that don't reflect diverse cultures or histories. To address these disparities, education systems should continue to develop policies that promote gender-sensitive curricula and address the specific needs of marginalised groups. Investing in female education, particularly in underserved areas such as sexual health, has been shown to create a ripple effect that benefits entire communities. Similarly, anti-racist educational frameworks can help to make sure that all students, regardless of their race or gender, receive the same opportunities to thrive. Creating a Better Future: What Needs to Be Done? Most importantly, we need to keep talking about SDG 4 — providing inclusive and equitable education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all. The more SDG4 is part of the global conversation the more likely it will become part of the taken for granted expectations of all countries and communities. The more academics like me discuss it in our lectures and have it in assignments, likely the more we are to normalise high quality, free primary and secondary education with our future global leaders. But more than this SDG4 should be at the heart of grass roots conversations, in every classroom, playground, and café. The more we talk about it the more a part of our global culture equitable access to education will become. Ultimately, success in education will not be defined by what certificates students attain, but by how well we equip individuals and communities to navigate and shape the world. Education should empower individuals, communities and nations to achieve their full potential, breaking down barriers that have traditionally limited access and opportunity. By striving for inclusivity, equity and quality, we can build a future where education truly is for everyone. BIOGRAPHY Dr Matthew Round is an academic and educator, who has worked with children from 3 years old to PhD students. Having been a science teacher, pastoral leader, and senior leader in schools in the UK, he now works in Higher Education and his current research focused on the emancipatory philosophies of Pierre Bourdieu and sex and sexuality education.

Allergy school: A New free educational programme to protect children with food allergies

By Tanya Ednan-Laperouse OBE • June 2, 2025
Every child deserves to feel safe and included at school but, sadly, that’s not always the case for children with food allergies. There are now around two children in every classroom with a diagnosed food allergy in the UK, and 20% of food allergic reactions occur in schools. Yet new research by the NASUWT teachers’ union, in collaboration with The Natasha Allergy Research Foundation, has exposed the barriers faced by too many of children with food allergies, which can leave them feeling excluded and isolated. The survey of almost 1,900 teachers revealed that 67% have had no allergy awareness training. One in five teachers has never been taught how to administer an adrenaline auto-injector which could save a life in a food allergy emergency, and almost two thirds (60%) don’t know or are unsure of their school even has an allergy policy. Despite a huge rise in allergies in the UK, there is no specific mandated guidance on how children with food allergies should be supported or how and when staff and team leaders should be trained. There is no funding for this either. That’s why Natasha’s Foundation, the UK’s food allergy charity, has created Allergy School. The £1 million, national programme for teachers offers nurseries, primary schools and out-of-school clubs and groups a suite of free resources, including films, engaging lesson plans and assembly packs and a self-assessment to see how allergy friendly they currently are. All are mapped into the National Curriculum to make them easy to use for all age groups. The resources also introduce Arlo, the friendly, food-allergic armadillo – a puppet which helps to educate children about food allergies in a positive and engaging way. The free resources, for children aged 3 to 11, are available at www.allergyschool.co.uk Allergy School has been developed in partnership with The King’s Foundation, St John Ambulance, the children’s charity Coram Life Education and Tesco Stronger Starts. It has received messages of support from His Majesty, The King and the Government, as well as schools, teachers and parents.  His Majesty, King Charles said: “Improving understanding of this issue is so important for keeping children with food allergies safe and ensuring they are able to participate fully in activities at school or in our wider communities.” The aim of Allergy School is to transform understanding of food allergies in schools so that children with food allergies feel empowered, included and protected. I know from personal experience that it can be really hard to keep a child with food allergies safe in school. My daughter Natasha was diagnosed with food allergies as a young child and finding a nursery where she would be safe was extremely difficult. When she started school aged 5, it was only when she had a severe allergic reaction to milk on a school trip to the zoo that staff finally took her food allergies seriously. Natasha died when she was just 15 from a food allergy to sesame. She ate a baguette sandwich that didn’t list sesame seeds on the food label, but they had been baked into the dough of the bread, invisible to the eye. Had the baguette been labelled properly, Natasha would not have eaten it, and she would be alive today. Natasha’s death put us on a mission to campaign for change. Government, schools, teachers, parents and pupils need to come together to support children with food allergies in this country. Our new Allergy School programme will transform levels of awareness and understanding of food allergies in a positive and engaging way for all children. BIOGRAPHY Tanya Ednan-Laperouse OBE, founded The Natasha Allergy Research Foundation, the UK’s food allergy charity, with her husband Nadim after their daughter Natasha died aged 15 from an allergic reaction to food in 2016. In 2021, Natasha’s Law came into force which improved food labelling. The charity funds medical research and campaigns for a safer world for people with food allergies. Tanya has been awarded an OBE in recognition of her services to people with allergic disease.

I believe in you.

By Vanessa Herder • May 30, 2025
We reach success in education if all people know exactly how to live up to their potential. This requires not only formal knowledge and learning, it includes a deep understanding of self through introspection. The secret sauce of a successful education includes information, sometimes encyclopaedic knowledge as well as an awareness of our own desires, experiences, passions and aspirations. Successful education happens when a beautifully open mind meets critical thinking; and when connecting the dots leads to problem solving and openness to the wonders of the world. I am not talking about a romantic setting: give everyone a book and they can study by themselves and all will be good. Successful education goes beyond school and formal education. It comes from people who challenge us or make us do things we don’t want to, from different situations, personal struggles or an inspiring influence. These are opportunities to thrive and suddenly we realize we went beyond what we think we can do and we outgrow our own expectations - thanks to other people. We meet excellent teachers in our family, within our group of friends, at our internet community or at school or university and we learn from and with them and they inspire us - these people have an impact on us. I call this ‘people-associated learning’ and consider it the most profound and life-changing education method. What is the opposite of successful education? If we stop learning, if we don’t accept that the only constant in life is change. By reaching a point where we say, ‘I know it all’, we have failed. Successful education teaches that we always evolve and this comes with continuous learning and development. This makes us fit for the future and enables us to adapt to always new circumstances. It is about being able to divorce a previous idea and embrace a new one, it is the ability to change. We constantly receive input from our educators and rely on them. A worthwhile goal in successful education is to reach a degree of independence and freedom to educate ourselves with the aim to share our knowledge with other people. This is a wonderful path, however, not an easy journey. If someone is believing in us, it is much easier to go the way we want to go - despite obstacles. With the help of others, we will have the courage to overcome all the speed bumps and setbacks and we will have the guts to educate ourselves. Nothing is better, makes us happier and contributes better to the world than fulfilling what our purpose is. This belief in us is by someone who is around us & makes all the difference: they can challenge us, they see achievements in us which we yet to cannot see, and they see of how much more we are capable of. Go and find the people in your life, who tell you this one lifechanging sentence: I believe in you. BIOGRAPHY Vanessa Herder is a scientist working at The University of Glasgow in Scotland. Her work studies the early immune response of virus infections aiming to understand what drives a severe and lethal outcome versus a mild disease. She did her PhD in multiple sclerosis research, followed by a doctoral thesis about a virus infection causing brain malformations. She is a trained veterinarian and after finishing her specialisation in veterinary pathology in Germany, she moved to Glasgow to focus on the pathogenesis of systemic and respiratory virus infections, including SARS CoV-2 and influenza virus.