Global Courant 2023-04-28 15:04:18
Evidence for the many benefits of comprehensive sex education (CSE) – which teaches adolescents and young people about the cognitive, emotional, physical and social aspects of sexuality – is mounting. We know that CSE not only helps to reduce unintended pregnancies and HIV transmission, but also to combat gender-based violence. It is a safe and effective way to protect and empower young people and to promote gender equality.
Yet not all governments invest in CSE programs, leaving many adolescents and young people without access to potentially life-saving information that can help them make healthy choices about their bodies, lives and relationships.
Without information about sexual and reproductive health and gender equality, young people run an increased risk of contracting HIV or having an unintended pregnancy, which can not only limit their future prospects, but also put their lives at risk. Complications during pregnancy and childbirth are one of the leading causes of death among adolescents worldwide.
Worryingly, we are currently facing a wave of misinformation about CSE and what it does. This is causing decision makers around the world to roll back support for it.
When CSE is not widely available to young people, harmful practices and beliefs, including gender discrimination, can thrive. These discriminatory norms can also lead to increased sexual and gender-based violence. When they miss CSE, many adolescents also miss their chance to grow up safely and confidently.
But it doesn’t have to be that way. CSE can empower young people and adolescents to know their rights, make healthy choices, stay in school and thrive. It supports and strengthens the efforts of parents, families, caregivers and governments to inform and protect young people and benefits not only those who receive it, but society as a whole.
CSE is a powerful tool that can challenge harmful gender norms, stereotypes and practices that stand in the way of gender equality. It can help young people build an understanding of love, respect, consent, caring and integrity, contributing to healthy families and just societies. Importantly, it can provide them with the tools they need to identify abuse and coercion, set boundaries, and know when and how to seek help. When young people learn about gender inequality, discrimination and power dynamics, they are five times more likely to act in a way that successfully prevents unintended pregnancy, HIV and sexually transmitted diseases.
Despite all this, young people’s right to quality sex education and information is under attack today. Numerous well-funded organizations are working together to spread disinformation about CSE and pressure governments to backtrack their efforts to increase young people’s access to crucial knowledge about their sexual and reproductive health. One of their main claims is that CSE leads to early sexual debut among young people. The opposite is true. There is evidence that young people delay their sexual debut when they have access to CSE, which boosts their self-confidence and gives them the critical skills, self-esteem and confidence they need to make informed choices.
Despite these baseless attacks, progress is being made.
In recent years, many governments around the world have enacted laws and policies to ensure youth access to sex education. Today, 85 percent of countries have policies or laws related to sex education, and more than four in five countries address relevant sex education content and topics in their national curricula in some form.
While progress has been made in all regions of the world, our efforts urgently need to be stepped up. We must go further and do more to ensure that no young person is left behind.
All governments of the world have committed to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals for gender equality, education and health by 2030. In March, however, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres warned that at the current rate of progress, it may take nearly 300 years to achieve full gender equality.
This is not acceptable. All governments must commit to including comprehensive sex education in national curricula and invest in quality teacher training to ensure that young people receive the education they demand, need and deserve. At the same time, more needs to be done to encourage adolescents and young people, parents, teachers, community leaders and politicians to better understand the long-term benefits of CSE.
It is high time we ensured that all young people, everywhere, have access to the information and education they need to live their lives fully, safely and with dignity. CSE builds a clear path to gender equality. So let’s invest in CSE and in the future of young people.
Signatories:
1. Alexander de Croo, Prime Minister, Belgium
2. Alvaro Bermejo, Director General, IPPF
3. Aminatou Sar, PATH Senegal and West Africa Hub Director
4. Ana Catarina Mendes, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office and for Parliamentary Affairs, Portugal
5. Anniken Huitfeldt, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Norway
6. Ayelen Mazzina, Minister of Women, Gender and Diversity, Argentina
7. Caroline Gennez, Minister of Development Cooperation and Major Cities, Belgium
8. Dayna Ash, Executive Director, Haven for Artists, Lebanon
9. Delphine O, Ambassador, Secretary General of the Generation Equality Forum, France
10. Dennis Wiersma, Minister of Primary and Secondary Education of the Netherlands
11. Enas Dajani, Founder of SLEATE, Independent, Palestine
12. Eunice Garcia, Executive Director, Youth Coalition
13. Faith Mwangi-Powell, Managing Director, Girls Not Brides
14. Franka Cadee, President, International Confederation of Midwives
15. Franz Fayot, Minister for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs, Luxembourg
16. Georgia Arnold, Executive Director, MTV Staying Alive Foundation
17. Goedele Liekens, Member of Parliament, Belgium
18. Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of International Development, Canada
19. Isabelle Rome, Minister for Gender Equality, Diversity and Equal Opportunities, France
20. Jannemiek Evelo, Executive Director, CHOICE for Youth & Sexuality
21. Jeanne Conry, Chair, FIGO
22. Jona Turalde, Independent, Philippines
23. Jovana Rios Cisnero, Executive Director, Women’s Link
24. Julia Bunting, Chairperson, Population Council
25. Latanya Mapp Frett, CEO, Global Fund for Women
26. Liesje Schreinemacher, Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation
27. Lilianne Ploumen, independent – former minister, member of parliament and initiator of SheDecides, Netherlands
28. Lina Abirafeh, Independent, US/Lebanon
29. Lindiwe Zulu, Minister of Social Development, South Africa
30. Lisa Russell, Founder Create 2030, Kenya
31. Lois Chingandu, interim director, Frontline AIDS
32. Lotta Edholm, Minister of Schools, Sweden
33. Malayah Harper, Independent, Switzerland
34. Maria Antonieta Alcalde Castro, IPAS
35. Marieke van der Plas, Executive Director, Rutgers
36. Mariela Belski, Amnesty International, Argentina
37. Mariona Borrell Arrasa, President, International Federation of Medical Students (IFMSA)
38. Memory Sin Kachambwa, Executive Director, FEMNET and Chairman of the SheDecides Guiding Group
39. Ndiilo Nthengwe, VCRC/AMwA, Namibia
40. Patrick Sewa Mwesigye, Founder, Uganda Youth and Adolescents Health Forum (UYAHF)
41. Richine Masengo, Executive Director, Sante Sexuelle, Democratic Republic of Congo
42. Robbert Dijkgraaf, Minister of Education, Culture and Science of the Netherlands
43. Roopa Dhatt, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Women in Global Health
44. Ruth M Labode, Member of Parliament, Zimbabwe
45. Simon Cooke, CEO, MSI Reproductive Choices
46. Siva Thanenthiran, Executive Director, ARROW
47. Sonali Silva, Independent, Vice President of SheDecides Guiding Group, Sri Lanka
48. Stephen Omollo, CEO, Plan International
49. Suchitra Dalvie, Director, Asia Safe Abortion Partnership, India
50. Svenja Schulze, Minister of Economic Cooperation and Development, Germany
51. Traci Baird, President/CEO, Engender Health
52. Vera Syrakvash, independent activist, Belarus
The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the editorial view of Al Jazeera.
