AQW 16472/17-22

Mr John Blair
Alliance Party
South Antrim

Tabled Date: 16/03/2021
Answered On Date: 25/03/2021
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Education to outline any plans he has to introduce programmes focused on talking to young men about male privilege and male violence against women.

Answer:

Within the NI Curriculum, the topics of consent and domestic and sexual violence and abuse are addressed through Personal Development and Mutual Understanding in primary schools, and Learning for Life and Work in post-primary schools. Within these areas of learning, pupils learn how to identify the characteristics of healthy and unhealthy relationships, recognise how power and gender inequality can negatively affect relationships, and the importance of treating others in a relationship with fairness, dignity and respect. Although the Curriculum does not specifically address male privilege, there is provision for pupils and teachers to raise and discuss issues and negative attitudes associated with this.

Whilst I have no plans to introduce programmes relating to these topics, I can advise that my Department is contributing to the “Stopping Domestic and Sexual Violence and Abuse Strategy” being led by the Department of Health and the Department of Justice and that officials are progressing actions in relation to education and awareness, including the areas of Relationships and Sexuality Education and Preventative Education.