ABSTRACT
Namibia has distinctly integrated the teaching about diverse sexual and gender identities in its school curriculum for the past two decades, unlike various other African countries. The inclusion of non-heterosexual identities in the curriculum happened despite increasingly political and religious dissonance towards sexual and gender diversity. This chapter will explore how civil society organisations, through a roundtable discussion with representatives of the Ministry of Education, made significant reviews to the school curriculum. This was with the aim of facilitating a more inclusive, safe and enabling learning environment for young people of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities. Four civil society organisations that promote the wellbeing of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender identities in Namibia engaged in an intensive analysis of the life skills curriculum and school experiences for learners of diverse sexual orientations and gender expressions. These engagements led to the strengthening of a life skills curriculum that now promotes a learning environment which affirms and protects all learners regardless of sexual orientations and gender expressions.
