Auckland Women’s Centre is the latest in a growing number of organisations expressing serious concerns regarding the draft Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) Framework for schools.

Leonie Morris, Project Lead for the Centre’s Aotearoa Free From Stalking campaign described the draft framework as “a significant failure in supporting the diverse needs of tamariki and rangatahi in Aotearoa”, due to its erasure of trans and non-binary people, and of Māori culture and because the Centre considers that the framework’s treatment of consent is inadequate. Ms Morris called the government’s recall of the previous guidelines as “jeopardising the next generation by using their safety as a political football in an imported culture war”.

Her comments come in the wake of strong criticism of the draft framework from health and wellbeing organisations such as the Mental Health Foundation, InsideOUT and Sexual Wellbeing Aotearoa.

“RSE should reflect and affirm diverse identities, and equip students to build relationships grounded in respect, care, and equity,” says Ms. Morris. “This draft falls profoundly short of that goal.”

The draft guidelines completely omit reference to gender diversity, including the experiences of transgender and non-binary young people.

“This is a harmful act of erasure. Trans and non-binary rangatahi already face disproportionately high rates of harm. Excluding their realities not only invalidates their identities but also entrenches marginalisation within educational spaces,” said Ms Morris

Concepts central to Māori understandings of identity and well-being are also entirely absent from the revised guidelines.

“The removal of all references to iwi Māori and te ao Māori, is deeply concerning and breaches the Crown’s responsibilities to uphold te Tiriti o Waitangi,” said Ms Morris. “This exclusion strips the curriculum of cultural relevance and actively undermines equity for Māori students.”

Comprehensive information about topics such as body image, gender stereotypes, media influences, staying safe online, and pornography needs to be added, and should begin prior to young people’s ability to access the internet, said Ms Morris. “Gender stereotypes can fuel serious problems like bullying, sexism, harassment, domestic abuse, and gender-based violence. Inclusive, comprehensive RSE equips students with the tools to recognise and resist harmful behaviors early.”

“Stalking often stems from distorted beliefs about relationships—beliefs that are often shaped in adolescence,” said Ms. Morris. “Effective RSE challenges myths, such as the idea that persistence equals love, and instead fosters respect, boundaries, and consent.”

Gender violence is endemic in this country – the NZ Crimes & Victims Survey shows around a third of women in Aotearoa New Zealand have experienced sexual violence, and more will have experienced other forms of intimate partner violence.

“Education is our strongest tool for violence prevention,” said Ms. Morris. “When young people are equipped with knowledge and empathy, we nurture a generation committed to respect, consent, and safety.”

Public submissions on the draft RSE Guidelines are open until 9 May via the NZ Curriculum website: https://newzealandcurriculum.tahurangi.education.govt.nz/5637263826.p. For further information, people can also visit the Auckland Women’s Centre’s website: https://awc.org.nz/rseguidelines/

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