The “Healthy Relationships” project is focused on the key problem of the lack of contents from the field of comprehensive sexual education (CSE) in school curricula, the lack of recognition of its importance by the relevant stakeholders, and the stigma surrounding comprehensive sexual education CSE, which is based on incorrect information.
Key activities are research activities in elementary and secondary schools with a focus on elements of CSE, advocacy for introducing CSE and public awareness of the benefits of introducing CSE. Strengthening the capacity of CSOs also contributes to sustainability, and cooperation during the project open up space for new national and bilateral cooperation with Norway and in a broader field of activity of associations. The applicant’s role is coordination and participation in activities, while partners from cROATIA will participate in all project elements.
The project will contribute to gender equality and the prevention of gender-based violence, because the CSE curriculum acts as a mechanism for the prevention of gender-based violence and violence in youth relationships, and gender stereotypes and roles are broken, which contributes to gender equality and the construction of a more fair and more inclusive society, especially for children and young people as vulnerable groups.
The general goal of the project is to contribute to the introduction of comprehensive sexual education (CSE) in elementary and secondary schools in the Republic of Croatia.
The specific goals of the project are to collect evidence for advocating the introduction of comprehensive sex education in elementary and secondary schools, establishing a dialogue with representatives of local units about the introduction of comprehensive sexual education in elementary and secondary schools, and raising public awareness of the benefits of introducing comprehensive sexual education in elementary and secondary schools.
The basic activities of the project are the analysis of school curricula, examination of the attitudes and needs of professional staff (teachers, professional associates) in elementary and secondary schools, examining the attitudes and needs of pupils of elementary and secondary schools, and dialogue with parents.
The duration of the project is from September 2022 to November 2023.
The project is carried out by the Association for Human Rights and Civic Participation PaRiter, the Lesbian Organisation Rijeka – LORI, SOS Rijeka – Centre for Nonviolence and Human Rights and the Delta Association, local and regional self-government units are also partners in the project, namely the City of Rijeka and the Varaždin County, while the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County and the Sisak-Moslavina County are collaborative partners. As part of the project, a bilateral partnership has been established with the organisation KUN (Centre for equality and diversity) from Norway.
The value of the project “Healthy Connections” amounts to EUR 100,000, and it is financed with EUR 90,000.00 of financial support under the Fund for Active Citizenship, with funds from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway within the framework of the European Economic Area and Norwegian grants.
For additional information, please contact:
City of Rijeka
City Department of Education and Schooling
Lana Golob
E-mail: lana.golob@rijeka.hr