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Sex education presentation

A free educational template to address sexual education in classrooms. Promotes inclusive learning and understanding of topics such as sexual health, gender, prevention, and emotional well-being. Ideal for teachers and students, it offers interactive and didactic resources to promote comprehensive knowledge and holistic sexual education.

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COMPREHENSIVE SEXUALITY EDUCATION (CSE) PROVISION

Published by Aygül Sançar Modified over 5 years ago

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Presentation on theme: "COMPREHENSIVE SEXUALITY EDUCATION (CSE) PROVISION"— Presentation transcript:

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What is comprehensive sexuality education?

Comprehensive sexuality education  ( CSE ) is a curriculum -based process of teaching and learning about the cognitive, emotional, physical, and social aspects of sexuality. It aims to equip children and young people with knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values that will empower them to: realize their health, well-being, and dignity; develop respectful social and sexual relationships; consider how their choices affect their own well-being and that of others; and understand and ensure the protection of their rights throughout their lives.

[Source: UNESCO. 2017. International technical guidance on sexuality education,  pp.16-17.]

Depending on the country or region, CSE may go by other names. It may be referred to as ‘ life skills ’, ‘ family life ’, or ‘ HIV ’ education . It is sometimes called ‘holistic sexuality education’. It is important to confirm with ministries what they use to describe CSE, particularly as context-based terms can inform the most effective approach to take when partnering with and supporting these ministries.

• delivered in formal and non-formal settings , in school or out of school ;
• scientifically accurate , based on research, facts, and evidence;
• incremental , starting at an early age with foundational content and skills, with new information building upon previous learning, using a spiral-curriculum approach that returns to the same topics at a more advanced level each year;
• age- and developmentally appropriate , with content and skills growing in abstractness and explicitness with the age and developmental level of the learners; it also must accommodate developmental diversity, adapting for learners with cognitive and emotional development differences;
• curriculum-based , following a written curriculum that includes key teaching and learning objectives, and the delivery of clear content and skills in a structured way;
• comprehensive , and about much more than just sexual behaviours.

The comprehensive aspect of CSE refers to the breadth, depth, and consistency of topics, as opposed to one-off lessons or interventions. CSE addresses sexual and reproductive health issues, including, but not limited to:

• sexual and reproductive anatomy and physiology;
• puberty and menstruation;
• reproduction, contraception , pregnancy, and childbirth;
• STIs, including HIV and AIDS .

CSE also addresses the psychological, social, and emotional issues relating to these topics, including those that may be challenging in some social and cultural contexts. It supports learners’ empowerment by improving their analytical, communication, and other life skills for health and well-being in relation to:

• human rights,
• a healthy and respectful family life and interpersonal relationships,
• personal and shared values,
• cultural and social norms,
• gender equality,
• non-discrimination,
• sexual behaviour,
• gender-based and other violence,
• consent and bodily integrity,
• sexual abuse and harmful practices such as child , early, and forced marriage, and female genital mutilation/cutting.

Key values of CSE

CSE builds on and promotes universal human rights for all, including children and young people. It emphasizes all persons’ rights to health, education, information equality, and non-discrimination. It raises awareness among young people that they have their own rights, and that they must acknowledge and respect the rights of others, and advocate for those whose rights are violated.

Integrating a gender perspective throughout CSE curricula is integral to effective CSE programmes. CSE analyses how gender norms can influence inequality, and how inequality can affect the overall health and well-being of children and young people, as well as the efforts to prevent issues such as HIV, STIs, early and unintended pregnancies, and gender-based violence . CSE contributes to gender equality by building awareness of the centrality and diversity of gender identities and expressions in people’s lives; examining gender norms shaped by cultural, social and biological differences and similarities; and by encouraging the creation of respectful and equitable relationships based on empathy and understanding.

CSE must be delivered in the context of the range of values, beliefs, and experiences that exist even within a single culture. It enables learners to examine, understand, and challenge the ways in which cultural structures, norms, and behaviours affect their choices and relationships within a variety of settings.

CSE impacts whole cultures and communities, not simply individual learners. It can contribute to the development of a fair and compassionate society by empowering individuals and communities, promoting critical thinking skills, and strengthening young people’s sense of citizenship. It empowers young people to take responsibility for their own decisions and behaviours, and how they may affect others. It builds the skills and attitudes that enable young people to treat others with respect, acceptance, tolerance, and empathy, regardless of their ethnicity, race, social, economic, or immigration status, religion, disability, sexual orientation , gender identity or expression, or sex characteristics.

CSE teaches young people to reflect on the information around them in order to make informed decisions, communicate and negotiate effectively, and develop assertiveness rather than passivity or aggression. These skills foster the creation of respectful and healthy relationships with family members, peers, friends, and romantic or sexual partners.

[Source: UNESCO. 2017. International technical guidance on sexuality education,  pp 16-17.]

‘ Sexuality ’ is defined as ‘a core dimension of being human which includes: the understanding of, and relationship to, the human body; emotional attachment and love; sex; gender; gender identity; sexual orientation; sexual intimacy; pleasure and reproduction. Sexuality is complex and includes biological, social, psychological, spiritual, religious, political, legal, historic, ethical and cultural dimensions that evolve over a lifespan’.

[Source: UNESCO. 2017. International technical guidance on sexuality education,  p.17.]

The word ‘sexuality’ has different meanings in different languages and in different cultural contexts. Taking into account a number of variables and the diversity of meanings in different languages, the following aspects of sexuality need to be considered in the context of CSE:

• Sexuality refers to the individual and social meanings of interpersonal and sexual relationships, in addition to biological aspects. It is a subjective experience and a part of the human need for both intimacy and privacy.
• Simultaneously, sexuality is a social construct, most easily understood within the variability of beliefs, practices, behaviours and identities. ‘Sexuality is shaped at the level of individual practices and cultural values and norms’ (Weeks, 2011).
• Sexuality is linked to power. The ultimate boundary of power is the possibility of controlling one’s own body. CSE can address the relationship between sexuality, gender and power, and its political and social dimensions. This is particularly appropriate for older learners.
• The expectations that govern sexual behaviour differ widely across and within cultures. Certain behaviours are seen as acceptable and desirable, while others are considered unacceptable. This does not mean that these behaviours do not occur, or that they should be excluded from discussion within the context of sexuality education.
• Sexuality is present throughout life, manifesting in different ways and interacting with physical, emotional and cognitive maturation. Education is a major tool for promoting sexual well-being and preparing children and young people for healthy and responsible relationships at the different stages of their lives.

[Source: UNESCO. 2017. International technical guidance on sexuality education,  p. 17.]

When viewed holistically and positively: 

• Sexual health is about well-being, not merely the absence of disease. 
• Sexual health involves respect, safety and freedom from discrimination and violence. 
• Sexual health depends on the fulfilment of certain human rights. 
• Sexual health is relevant throughout the individual’s lifespan, not only to those in the reproductive years, but also to both the young and the elderly. 
• Sexual health is expressed through diverse sexualities and forms of sexual expression. 
• Sexual health is critically influenced by gender norms, roles, expectations and power dynamics.
• Sexual health needs to be understood within specific social, economic and political contexts.
• Characteristics of effective CSE programmes

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Comprehensive sexuality education: primer for parents and guardians (a teaching resource for school-based orientation session on CSE)

A job aid for school teachers, homeroom advisers and CSE educators to introduce the basic concepts of CSE to parents and guardians. It aims to provide the teachers different tools to transform PTA/homeroom meetings into a creative and participatory orientation sessions on CSE. Specific CSE topics are explored in each grade level cluster. It is supported by PowerPoint presentations and printables.

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Human Sexuality Lesson for High School

It seems that you like this template, human sexuality lesson for high school presentation, free google slides theme, powerpoint template, and canva presentation template.

Are you planning to teach your high school students about human sexuality? Then, we have just the template for you! This creative template packs a punch with multiple illustrations related to the topic that are sure to grab your students' attention. And don't forget about the included icon pack to spice things up even more! With this playful and lighthearted template, you'll be able to keep your students engaged and informed about the physical, psychological, social, and cultural aspects of human sexuality. Let's make learning about an important topic like this enjoyable and informative at the same time!

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Comprehensive sexuality education

Comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) gives young people accurate, age-appropriate information about sexuality and their sexual and reproductive health, which is critical for their health and survival.

While CSE programmes will be different everywhere, the United Nations’ technical guidance – which was developed together by UNESCO, UNFPA, UNICEF, UN Women, UNAIDS and WHO – recommends that these programmes should be based on an established curriculum; scientifically accurate; tailored for different ages; and comprehensive, meaning they cover a range of topics on sexuality and sexual and reproductive health, throughout childhood and adolescence.

Topics covered by CSE, which can also be called life skills, family life education and a variety of other names, include, but are not limited to, families and relationships; respect, consent and bodily autonomy; anatomy, puberty and menstruation; contraception and pregnancy; and sexually transmitted infections, including HIV.

Sexuality education equips children and young people with the knowledge, skills, attitudes and values that help them to protect their health, develop respectful social and sexual relationships, make responsible choices and understand and protect the rights of others. 

Evidence consistently shows that high-quality sexuality education delivers positive health outcomes, with lifelong impacts. Young people are more likely to delay the onset of sexual activity – and when they do have sex, to practice safer sex – when they are better informed about their sexuality, sexual health and their rights.

Sexuality education also helps them prepare for and manage physical and emotional changes as they grow up, including during puberty and adolescence, while teaching them about respect, consent and where to go if they need help. This in turn reduces risks from violence, exploitation and abuse.

Children and adolescents have the right to be educated about themselves and the world around them in an age- and developmentally appropriate manner – and they need this learning for their health and well-being.

Intended to support school-based curricula, the UN’s global guidance indicates starting CSE at the age of 5 when formal education typically begins. However, sexuality education is a lifelong process, sometimes beginning earlier, at home, with trusted caregivers. Learning is incremental; what is taught at the earliest ages is very different from what is taught during puberty and adolescence.

With younger learners, teaching about sexuality does not necessarily mean teaching about sex. For instance, for younger age groups, CSE may help children learn about their bodies and to recognize their feelings and emotions, while discussing family life and different types of relationships, decision-making, the basic principles of consent and what to do if violence, bullying or abuse occur. This type of learning establishes the foundation for healthy relationships throughout life.

Many people have a role to play in teaching young people about their sexuality and sexual and reproductive health, whether in formal education, at home or in other informal settings. Ideally, sound and consistent education on these topics should be provided from multiple sources. This includes parents and family members but also teachers, who can help ensure young people have access to scientific, accurate information and support them in building critical skills. In addition, sexuality education can be provided outside of school, such as through trained social workers and counsellors who work with young people. 

Well-designed and well-delivered sexuality education programmes support positive decision-making around sexual health. Evidence shows that young people are more likely to initiate sexual activity later – and when they do have sex, to practice safer sex – when they are better informed about sexuality, sexual relations and their rights.

CSE does not promote masturbation. However, in our documents, WHO recognizes that children start to explore their bodies through sight and touch at a relatively early age. This is an observation, not a recommendation. 

The UN’s guidance on sexuality education aims to help countries, practitioners and families provide accurate, up-to-date information related to young people’s sexuality, which is appropriate to their stage of development. This may include correcting misperceptions relating to masturbation such as that it is harmful to health, and – without shaming children – teaching them about their bodies, boundaries and privacy in an age-appropriate way.

There is sound evidence that unequal gender norms begin early in life, with harmful impacts on both males and females. It is estimated that 18%, or almost 1 in 5 girls worldwide, have experienced child sexual abuse.

Research shows, however, that education in small and large groups can contribute to challenging and changing unequal gender norms. Based on this, the UN’s international guidance on sexuality education recommends teaching young people about gender relations, gender equality and inequality, and gender-based violence. 

By providing children and young people with adequate knowledge about their rights, and what is and is not acceptable behaviour, sexuality education makes them less vulnerable to abuse. The UN’s international guidance calls for children between the age of 5 and 8 years to recognize bullying and violence, and understand that these are wrong. It calls for children aged 12–15 years to be made aware that sexual abuse, sexual assault, intimate partner violence and bullying are a violation of human rights and are never the victim’s fault. Finally, it calls for older adolescents – those aged 15–18 – to be taught that consent is critical for a positive sexual relationship with a partner. Children and young people should also be taught what to do and where to go if problems like violence and abuse occur.

Through such an approach, sexuality education improves children’s and young people’s ability to react to abuse, to stop abuse and, finally, to find help when they need it. 

There is clear evidence that abstinence-only programmes – which instruct young people to not have sex outside of marriage – are ineffective in preventing early sexual activity and risk-taking behaviour, and potentially harmful to young people’s sexual and reproductive health.

CSE therefore addresses safer sex, preparing young people – after careful decision-making – for intimate relationships that may include sexual intercourse or other sexual activity. Evidence shows that such an approach is associated with later onset of sexual activity, reduced practice of risky sexual behaviours (which also helps reduce the incidence of sexually transmitted infections), and increased contraception use.

On sexuality education, as with all other issues, WHO provides guidance for policies and programmes based on extensive research evidence and programmatic experience.

The UN global guidance on sexuality education outlines a set of learning objectives beginning at the age of 5. These are intended to be adapted to a country’s local context and curriculum. The document itself details how this process of adaptation should occur, including through consultation with experts, parents and young people, alongside research to ensure programmes meet young people’s needs.

Comprehensive sexuality education: For healthy, informed and empowered learners

Did you know that only 37% of young people in sub-Saharan Africa can demonstrate comprehensive knowledge about HIV prevention and transmission? And two out of three girls in many countries lack the knowledge they need as they enter puberty and begin menstruating? Early marriage and early and unintended pregnancy are global concerns for girls’ health and education: in East and Southern Africa pregnancy rates range 15-25%, some of the highest in the world. These are some of the reasons why quality comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) is essential for learners’ health, knowledge and empowerment. 

What is comprehensive sexuality education or CSE?

Comprehensive sexuality education - or the many other ways this may be referred to - is a curriculum-based process of teaching and learning about the cognitive, emotional, physical and social aspects of sexuality. It aims to equip children and young people with knowledge, skills, attitudes and values that empowers them to realize their health, well-being and dignity; develop respectful social and sexual relationships; consider how their choices affect their own well-being and that of others; and understand and ensure the protection of their rights throughout their lives.

CSE presents sexuality with a positive approach, emphasizing values such as respect, inclusion, non-discrimination, equality, empathy, responsibility and reciprocity. It reinforces healthy and positive values about bodies, puberty, relationships, sex and family life.

How can CSE transform young people’s lives?

Too many young people receive confusing and conflicting information about puberty, relationships, love and sex, as they make the transition from childhood to adulthood. A growing number of studies show that young people are turning to the digital environment as a key source of information about sexuality.

Applying a learner-centered approach, CSE is adapted to the age and developmental stage of the learner. Learners in lower grades are introduced to simple concepts such as family, respect and kindness, while older learners get to tackle more complex concepts such as gender-based violence, sexual consent, HIV testing, and pregnancy.

When delivered well and combined with access to necessary sexual and reproductive health services, CSE empowers young people to make informed decisions about relationships and sexuality and navigate a world where gender-based violence, gender inequality, early and unintended pregnancies, HIV and other sexually transmitted infections still pose serious risks to their health and well-being. It also helps to keep children safe from abuse by teaching them about their bodies and how to change practices that lead girls to become pregnant before they are ready.

Equally, a lack of high-quality, age-appropriate sexuality and relationship education may leave children and young people vulnerable to harmful sexual behaviours and sexual exploitation.

What does the evidence say about CSE?

The evidence on the impact of CSE is clear:

• Sexuality education has positive effects, including increasing young people’s knowledge and improving their attitudes related to sexual and reproductive health and behaviors.
• Sexuality education leads to learners delaying the age of sexual initiation, increasing the use of condoms and other contraceptives when they are sexually active, increasing their knowledge about their bodies and relationships, decreasing their risk-taking, and decreasing the frequency of unprotected sex.
• Programmes that promote abstinence as the only option have been found to be ineffective in delaying sexual initiation, reducing the frequency of sex or reducing the number of sexual partners. To achieve positive change and reduce early or unintended pregnancies, education about sexuality, reproductive health and contraception must be wide-ranging.
• CSE is five times more likely to be successful in preventing unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections when it pays explicit attention to the topics of gender and power
• Parents and family members are a primary source of information, values formation, care and support for children. Sexuality education has the most impact when school-based programmes are complemented with the involvement of parents and teachers, training institutes and youth-friendly services .

How does UNESCO work to advance learners' health and education?

Countries have increasingly acknowledged the importance of equipping young people with the knowledge, skills and attitudes to develop and sustain positive, healthy relationships and protect themselves from unsafe situations.

UNESCO believes that with CSE, young people learn to treat each other with respect and dignity from an early age and gain skills for better decision making, communications, and critical analysis. They learn they can talk to an adult they trust when they are confused about their bodies, relationships and values. They learn to think about what is right and safe for them and how to avoid coercion, sexually transmitted infections including HIV, and early and unintended pregnancy, and where to go for help. They learn to identify what violence against children and women looks like, including sexual violence, and to understand injustice based on gender. They learn to uphold universal values of equality, love and kindness.

In its International Technical Guidance on Sexuality Education , UNESCO and other UN partners have laid out pathways for quality CSE to promote health and well-being, respect for human rights and gender equality, and empower children and young people to lead healthy, safe and productive lives. An online toolkit was developed by UNESCO to facilitate the design and implementation of CSE programmes at national level, as well as at local and school level. A tool for the review and assessment of national sexuality education programmes is also available. Governments, development partners or civil society organizations will find this useful. Guidance for delivering CSE in out-of-school settings is also available.

Through its flagship programme, Our rights, Our lives, Our future (O3) , UNESCO has reached over 30 million learners in 33 countries across sub-Saharan Africa with life skills and sexuality education, in safer learning environments. O3 Plus is now also reaching and supporting learners in higher education institutions.

To strengthen coordination among the UN community, development partners and civil society, UNESCO is co-convening the Global partnership forum on CSE together with UNFPA. With over 65 organizations in its fold, the partnership forum provides a structured platform for intensified collaboration, exchange of information and good practices, research, youth advocacy and leadership, and evidence-based policies and programmes.

Good quality CSE delivery demands up to date research and evidence to inform policy and implementation . UNESCO regularly conducts reviews of national policies and programmes – a report found that while 85% of countries have policies that are supportive of sexuality education, significant gaps remain between policy and curricula reviewed. Research on the quality of sexuality education has also been undertaken, including on CSE and persons with disabilities in Asia and East and Southern Africa .

How are young people and CSE faring in the digital space?

More young people than ever before are turning to digital spaces for information on bodies, relationships and sexuality, interested in the privacy and anonymity the online world can offer. UNESCO found that, in a year, 71% of youth aged 15-24 sought sexuality education and information online.

With the rapid expansion in digital information and education, the sexuality education landscape is changing . Children and young people are increasingly exposed to a broad range of content online some of which may be incomplete, poorly informed or harmful.

UNESCO and its Institute of Information Technologies in Education (IITE) work with young people and content creators to develop digital sexuality education tools that are of good quality, relevant and include appropriate content. More research and investment are needed to understand the effectiveness and impact of digital sexuality education, and how it can complement curriculum-based initiatives. Part of the solution is enabling young people themselves to take the lead on this, as they are no longer passive consumers and are thinking in sophisticated ways about digital technology.

A foundation for life and love

• Safe, seen and included: report on school-based sexuality education
• International Technical Guidance on Sexuality Education
• Safe, seen and included: inclusion and diversity within sexuality education; briefing note
• Comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) country profiles
• Evidence gaps and research needs in comprehensive sexuality education: technical brief
• The journey towards comprehensive sexuality education: global status report
• Definition of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) thematic indicator 4.7.2: Percentage of schools that provided life skills-based HIV and sexuality education within the previous academic year
• From ideas to action: addressing barriers to comprehensive sexuality education in the classroom
• Facing the facts: the case for comprehensive sexuality education
• UNESCO strategy on education for health and well-being
• UNESCO Health and education resource centre
• Campaign: A foundation for life and love
• UNESCO’s work on health and education

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• Comprehensive sexuality education

Comprehensive sexuality education – a curriculum-based process of teaching and learning about the cognitive, emotional, physical and social aspects of sexuality – enables young people to protect and advocate for their health, well-being and dignity by providing them with a necessary toolkit of knowledge, attitudes and skills. It equips them with accurate information about human development, sexuality, reproduction and healthy relationships that is appropriate for their age and culture. It is a precondition for exercising full bodily autonomy and making informed choices about sexual and reproductive health and rights. It builds on and promotes an understanding of universal human rights, gender equality, and the rights and empowerment of young people. 

It is vital to advancing health outcomes and gender equality. Yet research shows that too many young people still make the transition from childhood to adulthood receiving inaccurate or incomplete information about sexual and reproductive health, leaving them vulnerable to coercion, sexually transmitted infections and unintended pregnancy. UNFPA works with governments to implement comprehensive sexuality education, both in schools and outside of schools through community-based training and outreach. By investing in young people's health and education, governments can support their engagement in society, ensure their well-being and help them achieve their full potential. UNFPA also promotes policies for, and investment in, sexuality education programmes that meet internationally agreed upon standards. 

Young people themselves called upon governments to ensure the provision of curriculum-based comprehensive sexuality education in and out of schools during the ICPD30 Global Youth Dialogue . They emphasized that the education must be scientifically accurate, evidence based, culturally relevant, gender transformative, and age and developmentally responsive, and that investments are needed to continuously train educators.

Comprehensive sexuality education can be taught in school to students as a part of the school curriculum or outside the school curriculum in non-formal settings; it is most effective when taught over several years by integrating age-appropriate information that accounts for the developing capacities of young people. It includes scientifically accurate information about human development, anatomy and reproductive health, as well as information about contraception, childbirth and sexually transmitted infections, including HIV.

But it also goes beyond information, helping young people to explore and nurture positive values regarding their sexual and reproductive health and rights. This education includes discussions about family life, relationships, culture and gender roles, and also addresses human rights , gender equality , bodily autonomy and threats such as discrimination, sexual abuse and violence.

Comprehensive sexuality education should recognize the unique needs of learners, especially vulnerable youth groups – such as LGBTQIA+ youth, young people living with disabilities, young people in humanitarian settings, young people who use drugs and those living with HIV – and should be tailored to reflect their realities.

Taken together, these programmes help young people develop self-esteem and life skills that encourage critical thinking, clear communication, responsible decision making and respectful and empathetic behaviour.

According to the UN International Technical Guidance on Sexuality Education , comprehensive sexuality education must be:

• Scientifically accurate
• Incremental 
• Age and developmentally appropriate
• Curriculum based 
• Comprehensive 
• Based on a human rights approach
• Based on gender equality 
• Culturally relevant and context appropriate 
• Transformative
• Able to help develop life skills needed to support healthy choices

Eight key concepts of comprehensive sexuality education, according to the UN

What is unfpa doing.

International Technical Guidance on Sexuality Education

This type of education may go by other names, such as “life skills,” “holistic sexuality education,” “family life education,” “healthy lifestyle,” “sex ed” or “HIV education.” These names may imply differences in emphasis. For example, life skills education may include a focus on caring for sick family members, coping with loss or other similar issues. 

No matter what it’s called, comprehensive sexuality education empowers all young people to know, demand and protect their rights. The importance of sexuality education has been recognized by numerous international agreements, including the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Political Declaration on HIV and AIDS .

UNFPA works to empower young people to shape the lives they want. This means mitigating adolescents’ risk of developing harmful behaviours, while promoting positive, protective actions and attitudes. Comprehensive sexuality education is a key component of UNFPA’s global strategy for adolescents and youth. 

UNFPA works with governments and partners to develop and implement comprehensive sexuality education programmes, in and out of school, that meet international technical standards. In 2019, UNFPA launched a global programme for out-of-school comprehensive sexuality education, specifically targeting frequently left-behind young people. Among many other initiatives, in Moldova, UNFPA is working with the government and partners to deliver comprehensive sexuality education to refugees from Ukraine, with sessions on life skills and resilience building, as well as mental health counseling and sexual and reproductive health referrals and information. UNFPA Malawi has a specific emphasis on delivering comprehensive sexuality education to young people living with HIV, by identifying and training facilitators from the same community. UNFPA Palestine has developed a digital educational platform for sexual education; the application has been made accessible to young people with hearing impairment and also has been adapted to audio for those with visual disabilities. 

In addition, many countries have been expanding the breadth of their in-school curricula in response to the UN International Technical Guidance on Sexuality Education . In Lao People’s Democratic Republic, the guidance was used to develop lesson plans and learning objectives after an analysis revealed a lack of content on gender, rights, sexual behavior and equitable social norms in the existing life skills curricula. In South Africa, the guidance was used to create lesson plans and training for teachers to empower them to address important sensitive topics that might otherwise be left out. Other examples can be found in the Global Status Report on Comprehensive Sexuality Education . 

In advocating for policies on, and investments in, comprehensive sexuality education, in and out of schools, UNFPA and partners recognized that traditional sexuality education does not meet the needs of all young people, such as populations outside of school. To address this, UNFPA and partners (UNESCO, WHO, UNICEF, UNAIDS) launched the International Technical and Programmatic Guidance on Out-of-School Comprehensive Sexuality Education in 2020. It provides evidence-based, human rights-centred guidelines and recommendations for reaching the most vulnerable young people. Out-of-school programmes often include community-based training and education, and may focus on groups such as young people with disabilities, young indigenous people, LGBTQIA+ youth, young people living with HIV or young people living in humanitarian settings. 

UNFPA also co-convenes the Global Partnership Forum on Comprehensive Sexuality Education together with UNESCO, with the aim to advance research, promote good practices, enhance collaboration and overcome challenges. Members include UN agencies, funding agencies, international civil-society organizations working in the area of sexual and reproductive health and rights, youth-led organizations, research or academic institutions, and education-related and other professional networks. 

UNFPA is building the evidence on comprehensive sexuality education. It is among others collaborating with the World Health Organization in conducting research on UNFPA’s comprehensive sexuality education programming, in partnership with local research institutions. In May 2023, a special edition of the journal Sexual and Reproductive Health Matters , titled “Learning beyond the classroom: comprehensive sexuality education for outside-of-school settings,” shared implementation research from Colombia, Ethiopia, Ghana and Malawi.

Updated on 3 July 2024

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Comprehensive Sexuality Education Provision in Schools

Dec 19, 2019

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Comprehensive Sexuality Education Provision in Schools. Presentation to the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education 17 September 2019. PURPOSE.

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Comprehensive Sexuality Education Provision in Schools Presentation to the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education 17 September 2019

PURPOSE To present to the Portfolio Committee on the provision of Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) in schools through the curriculum and co-curriculum programmes 2

PRESENTATION OUTLINE • BACKGROUND • KEY ISSUES THAT AFFECT YOUNG PEOPLE • EVIDENCE FOR COMPREHENSIVE SEXUALITY EDUCATION (CSE) • POLICY FRAMEWORK • SECTOR RESPONSE • WHY USE THE INTERNATIONAL TECHNICAL GUIDANCE ON SEXUALITY EDUCATION (ITGSE) • CSE IMPLEMENTATION THROUGH THE CURRICULUM • CSE IMPLEMENTATION THROUGH COCURRICULA PROGRAMMES • CONCERNS AND MISCONCEPTIONS OF CSE IN SOUTH AFRICA • RECOMMENDATION 3

BACKGROUND • South Africa has the largest HIV epidemic in the world with approximately 7.9 million people living with HIV. • The majority of HIV infected adults are women (55-60%) • An estimated 1300 new infections per week among Adolescent Girls and Young Women (AGYW) in 2017 • More than a third of girls and boys (35.4%) experience sexual violence before the age of 17 • New infections have increased by 11% among males of the same age group. 4

BACKGROUND cont. • The number of adolescent girls who had sexual relationships with older sexual partners continue to increase. • HIV prevention knowledge has declined amongst learners. • Lower sexual debut and increasing risky sexual behaviour amongst adolescents • Early sexual debut leads to mental health issues such as depression, vulnerability to violence and poor educational outcomes 5

BACKGROUND cont. • Teen births have declined consistently since the 1980s. Significant decrease in young teens (under17), most births to older teens (17-19) • But remains unacceptably high: • 10-14yrs 2 716 • 15-19 113 700 • Total: 117 010 (April 2017-March 2018) • Only one third of girls stay in school during their pregnancy and return following childbirth (GHS focus on Schooling, 2015). This creates poverty traps for families. 6

Why CSE in schools? • Great need for age appropriate child abuse prevention education that builds resilience, confidence and assertion • Apartheid patterns of family disruption and parental (male) absence • Cultural barriers and conservative attitudes which prevents open conversations about sex and sexuality 7

KEY ISSUES THAT AFFECT YOUNG PEOPLE* Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) Access to contraceptives Unsafe abortions Puberty Violence, including gender-based violence Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity HIV and AIDS Pregnancy *UNESCO International Technical Guidance on Sexuality Education 8

RELEVANT POLICY FRAMEWORK 7

INTERNATIONAL TECHNICAL GUIDANCE ON SEXUALITY EDUCATION (ITGSE) • The UNESCO International Technical Guidance on Sexuality Education (ITGSE) collates evidence on major health and social issues facing young people, including on sexual reproductive health and rights • ITGSE recommends essential topics and learning objectives that should be covered in CSE curricula for learners. • Outlines the characteristics of effective approaches for planning, delivering and monitoring CSE. • The Guidance is voluntary and non-mandatory, and recognizes the diversity of national contexts in which sexuality education takes place. 10

INTERNATIONAL TECHNICAL GUIDANCE ON SEXUALITY EDUCATION (ITGSE) • CSE is scientifically accurate. • Incremental. • Age and developmentally appropriate. • Based on a human rights approach. • Based on gender equality. • Culturally relevant and context appropriate. • Supports life skills needed to support healthy and safe choices. • It goes beyond education about reproduction, risks and disease. • CSE provides information on all approaches for the prevention of unintended pregnancy, STIs and HIV. • Schools are central in the provision of CSE. 11

2016 EVIDENCE REVIEW • Bases its conclusions on evidence from systematic reviews of studies aimed at improving SRH of young people aged 10-24. • Includes a total of 22 relevant systematic reviews globally. • More than 70 relevant RCTs. • A significant amount of non-trial information from 65 publications and online resources • Includes a wide geographical range of recent, published studies with more than half of the 70 RCTs included in the review from low and middle income countries • Extends the reach of the original guidance to included out of school interventions 12

2016 EVIDENCE The 2016 review of ITGSE found that the evidence base for CSE had expanded since 2008. This rigorous scientific review found: • CSE does not sexualisechildren; • Sexuality education does not increase sexual activity, sexual risk-taking behaviour or STI/HIV infection rates (Fonner et.al, 2014; Shepherd et.al, 2010). On the contrary, CSE delays sexual debut and promotes safe sexual behavior; • Increases knowledge of different aspects of sexuality and the risks of early and unintended pregnancy, HIV and other STIs; • Decreases the number of sexual partners; • Reduces sexual risk taking; • Increases use of condoms and other forms of contraception. 13

EFFECTIVE CSE PROGRAMMES • Encompass multiple settings including schools, the community, health services, faith based organisations and households/families • Abstinence-only programmes are not effective in delaying sexual initiation, reducing frequency of sex, or reducing number of sexual partners (Kirby 2007, Underhill et.al 2007, UNESCO, 2009, Fonner et.al 2014). • Gender-focused programmes are substantially more effective than ‘gender-blind’ programmes in achieving health outcomes, reducing unintended pregnancy or STIs (Haberland and Rogow 2015). • Multi-component programmes which link CSE with youth friendly services are much more effective • Programmes with implementation fidelity i.e. implemented as intended 14

CSE IMPLEMENTATION THROUGH CURRICULUM • Comprehensive Sexuality Education has been part of the Life Orientation Curriculum since 2000. • There is no new CSE content that has been added to the curriculum • Implementation fidelity has however necessitated the following: • A review of the LO curriculum; • An evaluation of the LTSM available for LO and CSE; • A review of teacher training for LO and CSE; and • A review of curriculum delivery modalities. • The above reviews led to the development of scripted lesson plans, the development of state owned LO textbooks, an online teacher training course, the development of the “Teaching for All” initial education teaching programme and considerations of strengthened CPTD courses. 15

CSE SCRIPTED LESSON PLANS (SLPs) 12 Aligned with the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements (CAPS); Age-specific and developmentally appropriate; Contextualised; Provide pedagogical guidance to teachers.

CSE IMPLEMENTATION THROUGH CURRICULUM Below are the LO CAPS topics in the Intermediate Phase 17

INTERMEDIATE PHASE TOPICS IN THE SLPs Focus is on staying safe Grade 5 Grade 4 Grade 6 18

CSE IMPLEMENTATION THROUGH CO-CURRICULUM • Since 2013the DBE has been implementing CSE through several co-curricular programmes. These include: • Keeping Girls in Schools; • Breaking the Silence; • Determined, Resilient, Empowered, Aids-Free, Mentored and Safe (DREAMS) • She Conquers; and • ESA Commitment • AGYW exposed to these CSE programmes, adopted health seeking behavioursuch as contraception and condom use, and increased HIV testing. 19

Sexual behaviour by SBCC exposure level, South Africa, 2017

COMMON CONCERNS ABOUT CSE 21

COMMON CONCERNS ABOUT CSE 22

CONCERNS AND MISCONCEPTION OF CSE IN SA 23

RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that the Portfolio Committee notes and discusses the provision of Comprehensive Sexuality Education in schools through curriculum and co-curriculum programmes. 25

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Sex Education - PowerPoint

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Condoms can't be trusted and boys don't cry in Catholic Paraguay's first sex ed program

In predominantly Catholic Paraguay, with the highest rate of teenage pregnancy in South America, the Ministry of Education has approved the country's first national sex education curriculum

ASUNCIÓN, Paraguay -- Ahead of her 15th birthday, Diana Zalazar's body had gotten so big she could no longer squeeze into the dress she bought for her quinceañera to celebrate her passage into womanhood in Paraguay.

Her mother sought help from a doctor, who suspected that growing inside of the 14-year-old Catholic choir girl could be a giant tumor. Next thing Zalazar knew, a gynecologist was wiping down the probe she’d applied to her belly and informing her that she was in her sixth month of pregnancy.

It made no sense to Zalazar, who had recently had sex for the first time without realizing it could make her pregnant.

In Catholic Paraguay , which has the highest rate of teenage pregnancy in South America, many young mothers explained their teen pregnancies to The Associated Press as the result of growing up in a country where parents avoid the birds and the bees talk at all costs and national sex education is indistinguishable from a hygiene lesson.

“I didn’t decide to become a mother," Zalazar said. "I didn’t have a chance to choose because I didn’t have the knowledge.”

Over the years that Zalazar, now 39, has gone from sexual ignorance and shame to raising her 23-year-old son and advocating for children's rights, Paraguay's lack of sex education has remained unchanged — until now. For the first time, the Ministry of Education has endorsed a national sex ed curriculum. But in a surprising twist, it's the sexual health educators and feminists who are panicked. Conservative lobbyists are thrilled.

The curriculum, a copy of which was obtained by the AP, promotes abstinence, explains sex as “God’s invention for married people,” warns about the inefficacy of condoms and says nothing of sexual orientation or identity.

“We have a very strong Judeo-Christian culture that still prevails, and there’s fierce resistance to anything that goes against our principles,” said Miguel Ortigoza, a key proponent of the curriculum and evangelical pastor from Capitol Ministries, a Washington-based nonprofit that ran Bible study for former President Donald Trump’s Cabinet .

As a new generation of activists campaigning for legal abortion and gay rights scores victories across Latin America , a conservative backlash has gathered in Paraguay. The country already has among the world’s strictest abortion laws — punishable by prison time even in cases of incest or rape , though not when the mother’s life is in danger.

“Laws everywhere now allow girls to kill their babies, but Paraguay is among the remaining few saying no for Jesus’ sake,” said Oscar Avila, manager of an anti-abortion shelter for young mothers in Paraguay’s capital. At a recent morning Mass, girls no older than 15 filled the pews, some heavily pregnant, others with infants on their hips.

Critics explain the outsized power of Paraguay’s right-wing pressure groups as the consequence of a peculiar history. The conservative Colorado party has ruled the country for 76 of the past 80 years — including during a dictatorship openly sympathetic to Adolf Hitler.

“Growing up under the dictatorship, I was told homosexuality is a deviation,” said Simón Cazal, founder of Paraguayan LGBTQ+ rights group SomosGay. “The dictatorship legally ended, but the same political clans kept running the show.”

More recently, the rise of the far right in Latin America has given the governing party’s platform of religion, family and “patria,” or fatherland, newer resonance — emboldening conservative culture warriors with evangelical ties to take their battles to classrooms.

In 2017, Paraguay became the first country to ban school discussions about gender identity , an unwitting trailblazer for European populists and Republican governors . Now its sex ed curriculum has become a national flashpoint.

“The text is very dangerous, it’s an affront to science,” leftist Sen. Esperanza Martínez told a government committee recently convened to debate the curriculum.

Education Minister Luis Fernando Ramirez downplayed the controversy, stressing there was still time to improve the curriculum before enforcing it. “There’s no expenditure of state funds,” he told lawmakers. “Let’s not pass judgement until we do deeper work.”

Authorities assembled teams to revise the curriculum, called “12 Sciences of Sexuality and Affectivity Education," which it plans to pilot in September across five eastern regions before taking it nationwide. Parents' rights groups praise the 12 books, one for each grade, as a way of teaching morals and protecting young people.

“It's a real battle for life, family, the true rights of children and the freedom of parents,” said curriculum author Maria Judith Turriaga. “It's the reason parents fought for it to be included in public schools.”

The curriculum instructs children to treat others with respect and cultivate healthy relationships.

But in discouraging contraception and enforcing traditional gender norms, it has become a lightning rod for social tensions. Critics say it perpetuates sexist stereotypes: “Men conquer, not seduce,” “girls have smaller and lighter brains,” “boys don't cry easily,” “girls don't like taking risks."

Masturbation, it says, causes "frustration and isolation." Marital love lasts forever. Girls should beware of “how their way of dressing makes men behave.” Female puberty is “the body preparing to become a wife and mother.”

The books are filled with unexpected claims, too — “Boys do not clearly perceive high-pitched voices," it says.

Any talk of sex is about the heterosexual variety.

“Without a truly inclusive education that allows you to understand your reality, it’s scary,” said Yren Rotela, a trans activist whose identity as female at 13 pushed her into indentured servitude and sex work in a country where transgender identity is not legally recognized, there’s no legislation recognizing hate crimes and discrimination is widespread.

At a workshop in August, participants voiced alarm over parts of the curriculum emphasizing the duty of obedience to parents and authorities and urging pregnant teens to confide in their families — even as sexual assault is typically perpetrated in the home.

“I never got help from my family, they were threatening me not to tell anyone,” said Liliana, who was raped by her stepfather and became pregnant at 13, speaking on condition that only her first name be used because her case is under investigation.

The focus on unquestioned deference carries a political charge in Paraguay, where experts say Latin America’s longest-ruling dictatorship instilled an enduring autocratic tradition.

“It's easy in this country to create authoritarian projects that play on people's fears,” said Adriana Closs, president of Feipar, a Paraguayan group promoting comprehensive education. “Political factions are taking advantage of this because of the favorable global context.”

As the politics of social conservatism surge from Brazil to Hungary , Paraguayan lawmakers have found immense promise in agitating against what they hold is a Western conspiracy to feminize boys and make girls gay.

Panic over foreign influence taps into collective trauma from the War of the Triple Alliance, which pitted Paraguay against Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay, and decimated more than half of its population. Paraguayans still have a habit of invoking the 1865-1870 conflict as if it happened last week.

"Paraguay is the perfect breeding ground for globalist conspiracies,” said Esteban Caballero, adviser for the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences, a regional research group. “It’s not a fringe group of fanatics promoting this narrative, it’s a conservative society terrified by nonbinary identities. That means votes.”

Before 2023’s parliamentary elections, an annual transfer of European Union funds to Paraguay’s Education Ministry plunged politicians into a galvanizing battle.

Electoral debate pivoted from Paraguay's rampant corruption and neglected schools to accusations that the EU indoctrinates children about “gender ideology" through its financing agreement, “Transforming Education.”

The Senate narrowly rejected a bill that swept through the lower house ordering authorities to repeal EU funds, which in reality support anti-hunger initiatives.

As controversy swirled, European diplomats held a ceremony to change the agreement's name to “Strengthening Education” for fear the word “transforming” caused offense. President Santiago Peña appeared at Paraguay's biggest evangelical church, promising religious leaders increased influence over the national educational agenda.

“We see stronger support than in previous times,” Pastor Ortigoza said. “There's greater sensitivity to our causes."

Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america

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