Argentina Comprehensive Sexual Education advocacy

In Necochea, Argentina, three higher education institutions—ISFDyT No. 31, ISFD No. 163, and the Provincial School of Art No. 1 ‘Orillas del Quequén’—initiated a series of activities titled ‘20 years of ESI. A history we continue to weave’. Scheduled for September, the program includes conferences, debates, and artistic activities to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the National Comprehensive Sexual Education (ESI) Law, focusing on gender, diversity, and human rights.

Broadening the scope to the national level, student representatives and educators are advocating for the expansion and improved implementation of the ESI Law (Law 26.150). The Student Deliberative Council has approved proposals to extend ESI instruction to include the third, fourth, and fifth years of secondary school.

While advocates acknowledge the law has assisted children and adolescents in reporting abuse, they note that application remains inconsistent across Argentina. Challenges to the law include political tensions, institutional resistance, and a lack of resources.

Recent developments highlight ongoing friction regarding curriculum implementation. In Mendoza, the General Directorate of Schools (DGE) addressed a controversy at San Luis Gonzaga College involving a parent who withdrew four daughters due to disagreements with the curriculum. Cecilia Páez, Director of Secondary Education, defended the implementation of Law 26.150, stating that ESI contents are part of a “progressive educational plan” that schools must follow. Páez emphasized that while private and religious institutions maintain institutional ideologies, they must still comply with the legal framework of ESI.