sex education has been in the context of discussion of HIV andAIDS.

In many countries, the focus of discussion about sex education has been in the context of discussion of HIV andAIDS. In affected countries, it makes sense for sex education to be an important part of HIV and AIDS educationbecause it is within the context of sexual relationships that HIV is most often transmitted. However, many HIV andAIDS curricula avoid discussions of sex,4 focusing instead on the scientifi c aspects of the epidemic or on broadapproaches such as life skills education. Despite overwhelming evidence that sex education canreduce the risk of
unintended pregnancies and STIs (including HIV), many countries havenotadequatelyprioritised sex, relationshipsand HIV education within the formal curriculum.Potentially, schools provide a key opportunity to reach large numbers of young people with sex, relationships andHIV education in ways that are replicable and sustainable in resource-poor settings. In manycountries, youngpeople 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, in most countries an increasing proportion of young people