Norway

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Country page on ILGA website

Score on the GALE Checklist

Item	No policy	Encouraged	Supported	No data	Comment
1. Full access to schools?			x		DESPOGI students have full access to educational institutions in Norway.
2. Freedom of self expression?			x		Some students, however, find this difficult due to prejudice and bullying. Moreover, several schools lack the tools needed to provide inclusive learning environments for DESPOGI students.
3. Protection against bullying?		x			There are clear laws to protect all students from bullying by law. However, teachers and schools often lack the tools needed to handle bullying and harassment. In different research reports, numbers as high as 40 % of students report being bullied based on their sexual orientation.
4. No drop-out?	x				LLH does not know of a prevention plan for drop-out that specifically targets DESPOGI students. However, students report factors such as teachers with knowledge about gender identity and sexual orientation as crucial for well-being in school.
5. Equal performance?				x	There is no comparison between straight and LGBT students' school results.
6. Is there public information?			x		no comments
7. Attention in school resources?		x			Learning about sexual orientation and gender identity for instance is part of the curriculum. However, it differs greatly from textbook to textbook and teacher to teacher the quality and quantity of the resources provided.
8. Resources for LGBT students?				x	This varies greatly from school to school. A few schools arrange "queer week", some schools have gay/straight alliances, some schools invite Queer Youth's school program Restart to assist schools and students in creating safe and inclusive classrooms. Many schools only briefly touch upon these issues, if at all.
9. Support services open to LGBT?			x		Schools have a school nurse that all students can talk to if needed. However, many school nurses have very limited hours available at the different schools.
10. Peer-learning opportunities?	x				"However, a few schools have gay/straight alliances."
11. Is staff supportive?		x			Staff is bound by the law to provide a safe learning environment for all students. Teachers are supposed to provide unbiased information about norms, gender identity, sexual orientation and diverse families. However, many students report not experiencing staff as supportive.
12. Is staff competent to teach?	x				This is not a mandatory theme in the curriculum for teacher students. When LLHs school program Pink Competency visits schools to educate the staff, almost every teacher report to never have received education about gender identity and sexual orientation.
13. Is staff competent to support?	x				See comment to question 12.
14. Supportive school environment?		x			See answer to question 3.
15. Employment protection for staff?			x		There is a law protecting against discrimination based on gender identity, gender expression or sexual orientation.

The score is 0% forbidden (denying), 22% discouraged or no policy (ambiguous), 78% encouraged or supportive (supportive). We score this country therefore as supportive.
This report is based on 6 expert respondents, who were relatively consistent in their responses. They partly based their assessments on the Norway report on education 2012, but their comments cover the situation in 2014-2016.

Relevant Conventions

Convention against Discrimination in Education	not signed	signed	ratified	succession
Convention on Technical and Vocational Education	not signed	signed	ratified	succession
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights	not signed	signed	ratified	succession
Convention on the Rights of the Child	not signed	signed	ratified	succession
Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women	not signed	signed	ratified	succession

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This page was last updated on 26 April 2013.