Minister of Basic Education

Republic of South Africa

Private Bag X603

Pretoria

0001

Dear Minister Motshekga,

PATHSA Letter of Acknowledgement, Expression of Appreciation and Support for the Work of the DOBE in the Development of the Draft Guidelines for the Socio-Educational Inclusion of Diverse Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, Expression and Sex Characteristics (SOGIESC) in Schools.

The Professional Association for Transgender Health South Africa (PATHSA), an inter-disciplinary health professional organisation working to promote the health, wellbeing and self-actualisation of trans and gender diverse people, wish to formally acknowledge the important work the DOBE is presently undertaking in the development of both the draft Protocol for the Elimination of Unfair Discrimination in Schools as well as the draft Guidelines for the Socio-Educational Inclusion of Diverse Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, Expression and Sex Characteristics (SOGIESC) in Schools.

PATHSA, as an NPO, wish to further express our appreciation that the DOBE has not only acknowledged the importance of and the need for both these policy documents which are intended to promote an anti-discrimination ethos in schools but also to promote schools being safe, affirming, and inclusive spaces for SOGIESC learners and adults in the context of school communities where all learners can thrive.

Members of PATHSA have been involved in several of the activities related to the development of these documents in several stakeholder engagement processes from their inception and ongoing to the present.

PATHSA wishes to reassure you of our support for the ongoing process through to the completion and promulgation of the documents. These documents will be excellent resources that PATHSA can draw from and utilise in our various prevention, promotion, and intervention activities in the continued professional development of our health professionals who themselves will use these resources in their professional practice in our communities throughout South Africa.

Best wishes with the ongoing work,

Chris McLachlan

Chairperson: PATHSA

21 June 2023