The Code of Health & Disability Services Consumers’ Rights37 should protect young people from conversion practices in mental health and medical healthcare settings. Individuals have the right to: • services free from coercion (Right 2) • services of an appropriate standard (Right 4) • to be fully informed (Right 6) • to give informed consent (Right 7). Youth workers acknowledged some environments can foster conversion ideology and put young people at risk of conversion practices. Across settings, examples ranged from concerted efforts through to unconscious activities, from manipulation by leadership and peers, dishonesty and secrecy, toxic behaviour, and jokes about gender or sexuality. Implicit bias, ignorance, and the use of binary-gendered groups and language were mentioned, and are ways that an environment can isolate transgender, non-binary and gender diverse young people. Others spoke of overt conversion ideology in these settings, such as pro-conversion literature, marketing and messaging. Conversion practices in education settings Through engagement with survivors in Aotearoa, and through the sharing of their stories in the media, we know that conversion practices take place in schools and education settings. As in youth work settings, this is primarily underpinned by adherence to religious tenets and can take many forms. Religious schools’ responsibilities to provide safe and inclusive environments In Aotearoa religious schools, legally called stateintegrated or ‘special character’ schools, are governed by boards who are responsible for protecting the special character. Under the Education and Training Act 2020 boards are also responsible for the physical and emotional safety of all students and for giving effect to the Human Rights Act 1993. While the Human Rights Act 1993 does not explicitly include discrimination on the basis of transgender status, the Commission interprets discrimination on the ground of sex to include transgender status. The Solicitor General has taken a similar approach.38 The New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990 protects freedom of thought, conscience, religion and belief, as well as the right to freedom of expression. These are essential for the functioning of a democratic society. However, these freedoms are not absolute and must be balanced with other rights and freedoms of individuals, including LGBTQIA+, takatāpui Māori and MVPFAFF+ Pasifika people. There are many resources available to schools to help them to consider and balance the relevant rights (see Resources). Educators and school leaders can also contact the Commission for assistance, or they may wish to seek legal advice. Acts such as refusing to use a student’s preferred name and pronouns, deliberately recording the wrong gender for them on school documents, or barring access to gender-affirming uniform items could constitute a conversion practice. In education settings student safety is critical. To stay safe, an LGBTQIA+, takatāpui Māori or MVPFAFF+ Pasifika student may wish that a different name, pronoun, or gender marker is used in correspondence with their whānau (that is, one that does not align with their LGBTQIA+ identity). In this situation fulfilling a student’s wishes would not be considered a conversion practice. The student’s rights under the Privacy Act 2020, the Human Rights Act 1993, and the Conversion Practices Prohibition Legislation Act 2022 need to be considered alongside the school’s obligations under the Education & Training Act 2020. 66 Conversion Practices Guidance for those working with rangatahi and their whānau