PUTRAJAYA, MALAYSIA. A major milestone for inclusive education in Southeast Asia took place on 22-26 June as nearly 100 participants gathered at the Pulse Grande Hotel for the regional launch of the Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) Resources for Teachers of Learners with Disabilities.

Convened by the SEAMEO Secretariat, the SEAMEO Regional Centre for Special Educational Needs (SEAMEO SEN), and UNESCO Bangkok, the event assembled government education officials, Organisations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs), international agencies, and advocates of comprehensive sexuality education from across the region. It introduced regionally adapted CSE resources developed under the Breaking the Silence (BtS) approach, marking a significant step toward strengthening inclusive, accessible, and responsive education systems for learners with disabilities in Southeast Asia.

The programme commenced with a technical discussion on CSE for learners with disabilities, which provided a platform for knowledge exchange and set the stage for the official Launching Ceremony on 25 June 2026. The ceremony featured welcoming remarks by Madam Jamilah Binti Kadir, Director of SEAMEO SEN, appreciation remarks by Datuk Dr Habibah Abdul Rahim, Director of the SEAMEO Secretariat and Ms Jenelle Babb, Regional Advisor for Education for Health and Well-being, Education Section, UNESCO Regional Office in Bangkok, followed by the officiating address delivered by Her Excellency Madam Fadhlina Sidek, Minister of Education and President of the Malaysian National Commission for UNESCO.

Running alongside the launch was a four-day regional capacity-building programme that brought together focal officers of special educational needs and CSE from SEAMEO Member Countries. Facilitated by trainers from the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) and SEAMEO SEN, the training covered key topics including understanding disability, challenging myths and misconceptions surrounding sexuality and disability, applying a rights-based and trauma-informed approach to CSE, and developing country-specific implementation guidelines and action plans.

Upon completing the programme, the participants returned to their respective countries as master trainers, equipped to cascade the training and promote the effective use of the newly launched CSE resources in schools and communities. Their commitment marked an important step towards strengthening inclusive education systems and expanding access to quality Comprehensive Sexuality Education for learners with disabilities across Southeast Asia.

The launch of the CSE resources and the regional training marked the culmination of nearly two years of collaborative development and evidence-based innovation. Behind these achievements was a systematic effort to address a longstanding gap in inclusive education.

From Gaps to Action: Building the CSE Resources

For learners with disabilities, one critical dimension of education has long been overlooked, that is, access to sexuality education. A 2022 needs assessment conducted by UNESCO Bangkok and Leonard Cheshire across the Asia-Pacific region confirmed that teachers of learners with special educational needs often lack the training, confidence, and adapted teaching materials needed to deliver CSE effectively. At the same time, persistent misconceptions that learners with disabilities do not require sexuality education continue to increase their vulnerability to abuse, exploitation, and misinformation.

In response to these findings, SEAMEO SEN partnered with UNESCO Bangkok and the SEAMEO Secretariat to undertake a structured five-phase project from August 2024 to June 2026. It began with a comprehensive needs assessment and focus group discussions across Southeast Asia to identify regional priorities and gaps. Building on these insights, the partners co-developed a module outline tailored to the region's diverse contexts.

The project adapted the BtS package to align with the Southeast Asian context. The resources were contextualised for learners aged 9–12 with physical, sensory, and learning disabilities, ensuring their relevance to the region's diverse educational settings. Malaysia was selected as the pilot country, where orientation training and a three-month classroom field test generated valuable feedback from educators and other key stakeholders. The findings were reviewed and validated in February 2026, informing the final refinement of the resources before the official launch.

What's Inside the CSE Module

The module is a comprehensive, layered toolkit. The Comprehensive Guide introduces teachers and school administrators to the rationale, key concepts, and disability-specific considerations of CSE, covering personal safety, consent, and relationships through culturally relevant Southeast Asian examples. The Lesson Plans provide session-by-session guidance with visual supports, scenario cards, and discussion prompts adapted for learners with diverse communication needs, while the Facilitator Guidance section equips teachers to navigate sensitive topics — from personal hygiene and menstruation to recognising and reporting abuse — with empathy and professional grounding. The package also includes supplementary videos that extend learning beyond the classroom, alongside a Caregiver Guidebook that supports families with accessible information to reinforce safe and consistent messages at home.