unintended pregnancy and unsafe abortion, STIs including HIV

The catalogue of potential negative consequences of unprotected penetrative sex is long and frequently repeated:
unintended pregnancy and unsafe abortion, STIs including HIV, and sexual abuse and violence. The potential positive
consequences, such as mutually rewarding relationships between consenting adults, are seldom, if ever, mentioned.
Indeed, our knowledge of the positive elements of sexual choice and fulfi lment – implied in the right of all
persons “to pursue a satisfying, safe and pleasurable sexual life” – is considerably less than our appreciation of the
negative consequences of sexual activity, despite the fact that sexual enjoyment can be health-promoting.3
So far, no clear consensus exists regarding a universally acceptable term to describe the educational activities,
methodologies and process that constitute school-based ‘sex education’. In some settings, use of the terms ‘sex’
or ‘sexuality’ in the title of a programme is simply too explicit for the comfort of parents, teachers or politicians. And
yet, terms such as ‘family life education’, ‘life skills education’ or ‘population education’ may provide an opportunity
to ignore discussion of sex altogether. UNESCO’s Global Advisory Group on Sex, Relationships and HIV Education
has suggested the term sex, relationships and HIV education to describe educational activities in this area.
In many countries, the focus of discussion about sex education has been in the context of discussion of HIV and
AIDS. In affected countries, it makes sense for sex education to be an important part of HIV and AIDS education
because it is within the context of sexual relationships that HIV is most often transmitted. However, many HIV and
AIDS curricula avoid discussions of sex,4 focusing instead on the scientifi c aspects of the epidemic or on broad
approaches such as life skills education. Despite overwhelming evidence that sex education can reduce the risk of
unintended pregnancies and STIs (including HIV), many countries have not adequately prioritised sex, relationships
and HIV education within the formal curriculum.
Potentially, schools provide a key opportunity to reach large numbers of young people with sex, relationships and
HIV education in ways that are replicable and sustainable in resource-poor settings. In many countries, young
people will become sexually active while they are still attending school, making the setting even more important
as an opportunity for the delivery of sex, relationships and HIV education. However chronic problems of enrolment,
lack of funding and poor infrastructure development, including provision of teacher training, seriously undermine
this potential.
Provision of broad-based, inclusive, equitable, contextually-relevant sex, relationships and HIV education5 in schools
is a critical priority in the global agenda for sexual and reproductive health. Rights to information and services that
protect and promote young people’s sexual health are refl ected in the international agreements adopted in Cairo
and Beijing, and in the 2002 World Summit for Children.
And yet, many young people still lack even the most basic information about sexual health. Evidence reveals that
25% or more of young men in some countries, particularly in Latin America and the Caribbean, have engaged in
vaginal intercourse before the age of 15. A similar situation prevails for girls in parts of sub-Saharan Africa, India
and Bangladesh (largely because of child marriage).6 Even more worrying is the fact that, in a number of countries,
20-40% of young women report that their fi rst experience of sexual intercourse was forced.7 While fi rst sex is not
necessarily occurring at earlier ages than in the past,