Htqe.2025.33

https://doi.org/10.22364/htqe.2025.33 | 468-481 | PDF

Sexuality Education and Family Formation in Latvian Legislation: Current and Historical Perspectives

Andrejs Mūrnieks¹, Manuel Joaquín Fernández González¹, Irina Maslo¹
¹Scientific Institute of Pedagogy, Faculty of Education Sciences and Psychology, University of Latvia, Riga, Latvia

Abstract
The aim of the study was to identify the current perspectives on sexuality education and family formation values in Latvian educational legislation and to discuss its connection with the historical legacy of the interwar period (1918–1939). The research question is: how sexuality education and family formation values are covered in current Latvian normative documents in the field of education? The study is based on current mandatory and relevant regulatory documents which mention family formation values and sexuality education. The documents analysed were the Constitution of the Republic of Latvia, Education Law, the General Education Law, the Youth Law, the Guidelines for students’ upbringing, the State Basic and General Secondary Education Standards, as well as the Sustainable Development Strategy of Latvia ‘Latvia2030’ and the National development plan of Latvia for 2021–2027. To answer the research question, the study involved desk-based content analysis and interpretation. A list of keywords that captured sexuality education and family formation values was created. A contextual analysis of these concepts was carried out to find out what the documents mean and imply, with an ethically neutral attitude. The study found that Latvia’s legislation defines sexuality education and family-formation values, but the regulation of the implementation is inconsistent. These results were discussed in the cultural and historical context of Latvia, with an emphasis on the interwar period (1918–1939). The study will help improve pedagogical practice by establishing the conceptual foundations for integrating family formation values into sexuality education and will promote the development of the normative base by preparing proposals for a report on policy recommendations in this area.

Keywords: education for family formation, historical perspectives, Latvian educational legislation, normative documents, sexuality education

In: Human, Technologies and Quality of Education, 2025. Proceedings of Scientific Papers = Cilvēks, tehnoloģijas un izglītības kvalitāte, 2025. Rakstu krājums.  Ed. L. Daniela. Riga: University of Latvia, 2025. 698 p.
ISBN 978-9934-36-461-7 
https://doi.org/10.22364/htqe.2025