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Did you know that only 37% of young people in sub-Saharan Africa know 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. 

Imagine a world where all children are able to complete their education in good health without having to drop out due to early, child or forced marriage or union, or early and unintended pregnancy. Quality comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) can make this world a reality, helping learners gain essential knowledge and skills to be healthy, empowered and foster positive and gender equitable relationships. 

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.

All parents, teachers and communities want children to thrive in their education, their health and their futures. Yet, 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.

CSE is adapted to the age and developmental stage of the learner and uses a learner-centered approach. 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, including online violence, bullying and misinformation.

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 debut, increasing their use of condoms and other contraceptives when they are sexually active, increasing their knowledge about their bodies and healthy 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 debut, 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.

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. While 85% of countries have policies that are supportive of sexuality education, significant gaps remain between policy and curricula, as per the . The same report identifies that more than 4 in 5 countries cover relevant sexuality education content and topics in their national curriculum, though more progress is needed because a number of key topics are missing or taught too late.

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 the , UNESCO and UN partners recommend pathways 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 through quality CSE. The guidance is intended to support countries in their policies and decisions to invest in sexuality education for all learners based on the needs and realities of their peoples and culture. An  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  of national sexuality education programmes is also available. Governments, development partners or civil society organizations will find this useful. Guidance for delivering  is also available.

Through its flagship programme, Our rights, Our lives, Our future (O3), UNESCO reached 34 million learners in 35 countries across sub-Saharan Africa with life skills and sexuality education by the end of its first phase mid-2023,and an additional 35 million young people in and out of school through media platforms and advocacy mobilizing communities, teachers, religious leaders, parents and civil society. O3 Plus is also reaching and supporting learners in higher education institutions.

To strengthen coordination among the UN community, development partners and civil society, UNESCO co-convenes the Global partnership forum on CSE together with UNFPA, providing a structured platform for 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 . UNESCO regularly conducts reviews of national policies and programmes and has documented the existing policy environment on CSE in several . Examples of good practice on the need to ensure inclusive sexuality education for learners with disabilities in  and , and for learners of  are also available.

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 . Digital spaces can mean reaching more learners with the information, education and services they need most for their health and well-being. At the same time, children and young people are increasingly exposed to a broad range of content online some of which may be incomplete, poorly informed or harmful. Recent global assessments report that just over half (54%) of youth aged 18-20 who frequently used the internet as children experienced some form of online sexual harm. 

UNESCO and its Institute of Information Technologies in Education (IITE) work with young people and content creators to develop  that are of good quality, relevant, and include appropriate content. Where technology allows, can help teachers deliver topics that they typically find difficult to talk about. Research  is underway to understand how digital spaces can most effectively and safely deliver sexuality education,  in complement to curriculum-based initiatives

• Campaign: A foundation for life and love
• UNESCO’s work on health and education