Comprehensive sexuality education

Comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) is an educational approach to sexuality. It is a rights-based approach and it includes a gender perspective. According to recommendations from international organizations, including the World Health Organization, CSE should be taught since elementary school and continue throughout all levels of formal and informal education. It should, therefore, include age-appropriate content based on the changing abilities of children, adolescents, and teenagers.

According to the UN Population Fund, CSE presents scientifically-based information regarding various aspects such as human development, anatomy, reproductive health, contraception, and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), for example HIV.

This type of education aims not only to help people explore and nurture positive values regarding their sexual and reproductive health. It also entails an analysis of family life and relations, culture and gender roles, human rights, gender equality, and threats such as discrimination, violence, and sexual abuse. As a result, CSE programmes foster critical thinking, precise communication, responsible decision-making, and respectful behaviour.

Comprehensive sexuality education empowers people to know and demand the fulfillment of their rights. For example, teenage pregnancy can lead adolescents to drop out of school, which deprives them of their right to an education.

Because of this, many international agreements support people’s right to sexuality education.

In contrast to what some sectors argue, comprehensive sexuality education does not promote premature sexual activity nor does it lead to higher risk sexual behaviour. In fact, these programmes reduce risky behaviours.