Argentina ESI Law marks 20 years amid funding and implementation debates

As the Comprehensive Sexual Education (ESI) Law marks its 20th anniversary in Argentina, legislators and educators are calling for sustained funding and implementation to protect children.

Legislator Manuela Thourte of the UCR emphasized that the national government must guarantee and finance the law while jurisdictions handle implementation. She noted that the 2027 National Budget predicts a nearly 99% real decrease in funds for strengthening ESI compared to 2023. Thourte highlighted that ESI provides children with the vocabulary to report abuse, citing data from the CABA Public Tutelary Ministry which indicates that eight out of ten children aged 12 to 14 who reported abuse were able to recognize it after receiving ESI classes.

In Córdoba, program coordinator Jorgelina Marozzi noted that the law has moved beyond a purely biological focus to include affectivity, coexistence, and consent. Marozzi addressed resistance from some family groups, asserting that the right to receive sexual education is a legally acquired right that takes precedence in the school environment. She highlighted that the curriculum now integrates these themes across all subjects in initial, primary, and secondary levels.