Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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468. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to date to develop and or introduce a gender-focused sexual education awareness campaign in the higher education sector. [2960/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Tackling sexual violence and harassment in our tertiary education system is and will remain, a key policy focus for me and my Department. Since I have been appointed, we have made some important changes. In August 2020, I wrote to all publicly funded HEIs outlining my commitment to tackling sexual violence and harassment in higher education and requesting a number of actions in this area, including the development of institutional action plans on tackling sexual violence and harassment. In this regard, I have been advised that all publicly-funded HEIs now have such action plans in place. I have also expanded the remit of the HEA’s Centre of Excellence for Gender Equality to cover all areas of equality, diversity and inclusion, as well as oversight of the implementation of the Framework for Consent in HEIs.

As part of monitoring requirements, the HEA requires that institutions, in respect of both staff and students, report progress on implementation of the Framework for Consent in HEIs on an annual basis. The annual HEI progress report on implementation of the Framework for Consent in HEIs addresses specific indicators related to the 15 Framework Outcomes. In addition to this, the HEI Annual Governance Statements submitted to the HEA require a statement confirming that an institution has an action plan in place to support the achievement of the objectives of the Framework for Promoting Consent and Preventing Sexual Violence in Higher Education and that this action plan is being implemented.

The Framework aims to ensure the creation of an institutional campus culture which is safe, respectful and supportive. Institutions have a duty of care to their students and staff, and a responsibility to foster a campus culture that is clear in the condemnation of unwanted and unacceptable behaviours. The Framework outlined a number of aims for HEIs, students, staff and for the HEA and/or my Department. To assist institutions with implementation of the Framework, funding of over €400,000 has been allocated by my Department to a number of initiatives since its launch. These initiatives have mainly focused on training, education and awareness raising initiatives. The HEA has allocated further funding of over €500,000 towards consent workshops, the development of the anonymous report and support tool, and the UCC Bystander intervention programme.

Since the academic year 2020/2021, the HEA’s National Centre of Excellence for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion has worked with HEIs and the sectoral representative bodies to ensure the national, sectoral and local roll out of:

- Online consent training for all incoming students;

- Online bystander intervention training for all incoming students;

- An anonymous report and support tool for issues of bullying, harassment, and sexual harassment; and

- The national Unmute Consent awareness raising campaign

There are two key actions in the Framework for Consent that focus on sexual education awareness:

- HEIs will provide direct student-facing activities including workshop/classes that promote an understanding of consent; student understanding and skills for speaking up and calling out unacceptable behaviour; and

- Ongoing messaging to disseminate information consistent with the Framework aims for cultural change and awareness.

In progress updates submitted to the HEA in late 2021, all HEIs reported that these actions are either complete or in progress.