Comprehensive Sexual Education

The International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) reports globally, there are 111 million new cases of curable sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and half of all new HIV infections are among youth. 4.4 million girls between the ages of 15–19 seek abortions, with a high rate of youth utilizing unsafe options. Adolescent mothers account for ten percent of births worldwide and experience higher maternal mortality rates than older women. IPPF reviewed data from 19 reporting countries and found that sexual abuse among young women ranges between 7–34 percent, and sexual abuse among young men ranges between 3–29 percent.¹

The issues that youth face are not solely based on sexual issues and diseases. Rates of suicide among youth are concerning; UNESCO reports that every 5 minutes, a youth completes suicide.² In the United States, suicide has been found to be the second leading cause of death among people ages 15-24, and 20% of high school students report serious thoughts of suicide.³ These devastating outcomes are partly due to emotional and social problems that stem from sexual and reproductive health, including sexual violence and the breakdown of relationships.⁴ Thus, sexual health-related issues also indirectly affect youth as well.

Considering the severity of these outcomes, the needs of youth are not being met. Responding to this unmet need, a wide array of approaches have been implemented to provide sex and sexual health education to youth. This knowledge base ranges across a spectrum of abstinence-only-until-marriage programs (now known as sexual risk avoidance programs) to rights-based, scientifically informed sex and sexual health education.

Comprehensive Sexuality Education

In 2009, the United Nations Education, Scientific & Cultural Organization (UNESCO) developed an international technical guide to help advocate for sexual education in youth. UNESCO defines comprehensive sexuality education as an “age-appropriate, culturally relevant approach to teaching about sexuality and relationships by providing scientifically accurate, realistic, non-judgmental information.”⁵

UNESCO seeks to support youth with a curriculum-based process to empower youth in gaining the knowledge, skills, and values to make informed and healthy choices about their health and well-being in relation to themselves and others.⁶ Additionally, the CSE curriculum-based process focuses on helping youth understand and protect their rights throughout their lives.⁷

Covering a broad range of issues relating to the physical, biological, emotional, and social aspects of sexuality, CSE recognizes and accepts all people as sexual beings and is concerned with more than just the prevention of disease or pregnancy. CSE programs should consider the age and stage of development and be adapted to meet the needs of these different groups.⁹
The CSE curriculum must help young people to:

• ACQUIRE accurate information on sexual and reproductive rights.
• DEVELOP life skills related to empathy, communication, assertiveness, and critical thinking in relation to sexual health.
• NURTURE positive attitudes and values towards their sexual and reproductive health.¹⁰

These three tenets (mentioned above) create the foundation of CSE to provide parents, educators, and health care workers with the knowledge, skills, and values to educate youth. Building on this framework, there are seven essential components of the CSE curriculum: gender, sexual and reproductive health and HIV, sexual rights and sexual citizenship, pleasure, violence, diversity, and relationships. The delivery of CSE is equally as important as the curriculum itself. As such, it is crucial for CSE to take a youth-friendly approach and supports gender equality.

This combination of youth-friendly services, founded on scientific knowledge and respect for gender equality, ensures that the sexual rights of youth are recognized, respected, protected, and advanced as human rights.

1. International Planned Parenthood Federation (2010) IPPF Framework for Comprehensive Sexual Education. Retrieved from; http://www.ippf.org/sites/default/files/ippf_framework_for_comprehensive_sexuality_education.pdf
2. International Planned Parenthood Federation (2010) IPPF Framework for Comprehensive Sexual Education. Retrieved from; http://www.ippf.org/sites/default/files/ippf_framework_for_comprehensive_sexuality_education.pdf
3. Cohen, S (2022). Suicide rate highest among teens and young adults. UCLA Health. Retrieved from: https://connect.uclahealth.org/2022/03/15/suicide-rate-highest-among-teens-and-young-adults/
4. International Planned Parenthood Federation (2010) IPPF Framework for Comprehensive Sexual Education. Retrieved from; http://www.ippf.org/sites/default/files/ippf_framework_for_comprehensive_sexuality_education.pdf
5. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) (2009) International Technical Guidance on Sexuality Education. An Evidence-Informed Approach for Schools, Teachers and Health Educators. Paris: UNESCO.
6. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) (2009) International Technical Guidance on Sexuality Education. An Evidence-Informed Approach for Schools, Teachers and Health Educators. Paris: UNESCO.
7. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) (2018) International Technical Guidance on Sexuality Education. An Evidence-Informed Approach. Revised ed. Paris: UNESCO.
8. Anderson R, Panchaud C, Singh S and Watson, K. (2013). Demystifying Data: A Guide to Using Evidence to Improve Young People’s Sexual Health and Rights, New York: Guttmacher Institute.
9. Anderson R, Panchaud C, Singh S and Watson, K. (2013). Demystifying Data: A Guide to Using Evidence to Improve Young People’s Sexual Health and Rights, New York: Guttmacher Institute.
10. Anderson R, Panchaud C, Singh S and Watson, K. (2013). Demystifying Data: A Guide to Using Evidence to Improve Young People’s Sexual Health and Rights, New York: Guttmacher Institute.