The Constitutional Court of Romania ruled that banning gender studies in Romanian educational system was unconstitutional and therefore annulled the law.
The ban was originally proposed by a centre-right Popular Movement Party and adopted last June. An amendment to National Education Law, the ban claimed gender to be an ideological invention and banned “theories and opinion on gender where it is a separate concept from biological sexâ€. For many, including Romanian members of ASTRA Network, the amendment was an upfront attack on comprehensive sexuality education and feminist studies.
As Daniela Draghici, ASTRA Network’s board member and Romanian activist, wrote for us in June: Romanian academics, students and human rights groups have condemned a new law banning gender identity studies in schools and universities and accused lawmakers of wanting to send the country’s education “back to the Middle Agesâ€. Several higher education institutions have harshly condemned the legislation, including the University of Bucharest, saying that “it contradicts fundamental rights guaranteed by the Romania Constitution and international conventions of which Romania is a party toâ€.
Valery Sharifulin / TASS
EPA-EFE/PATRICK SEEGER