UNESCO STRATEGY ON

EDUCATION FOR HEALTH

AND WELL-BEING:
CONTRIBUTING TO THE SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT GOALS
 UNESCO STRATEGY ON
EDUCATION FOR HEALTH
AND WELL-BEING:
CONTRIBUTING TO THE SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT GOALS

November 2016
Published in 2016 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, 7, place de Fontenoy, 75352 Paris 07 SP, France

© UNESCO 2016

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ED-2016/WS/35 2nd revision CLD:1846.16

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CONTENTS

Acronyms 4
Foreword 5
1 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND 6
2 GOAL AND STRATEGI C PRIORITIES 8
3 IMPLEMENTING THE STRATEGY 15
Annex 1:
How UNESCO’s strategy will contribute to the Sustainable
Development Goals and UNAIDS targets 20
Annex 2:
Comprehensive sexuality education – life skills, sexual and
reproductive health and HIV-related content 23

3
 ACRONYMS
AIDS Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome

FRESH Focusing Resources on Effective School Health

HIV Human Immunodeficiency Virus

IBE International Bureau of Education

IIEP International Institute of Educational Planning

ILO International Labour Organisation

PrEP Pre-exposure prophylaxis

SDG Sustainable Development Goal

SRH Sexual and reproductive health

UN United Nations

UNAIDS Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS

UNDP United Nations Development Programme

UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation

UNFPA United Nations Population Fund

UNGEI United Nations Girls Education Initiative

UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund

UNODC United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime

WFP World Food Programme

WHO World Health Organisation

4
FOREWORD
This new strategy articulates UNESCO’s commitment We will seek to ensure that all young people
to promoting better health and well-being for develop the knowledge, attitudes, values and skills
all children and young people and to supporting they need to protect themselves from HIV and to
UNESCO’s Education Sector contribution to ending establish healthy and respectful relationships. We
AIDS as a public health threat by 2030. will support countries to strengthen the role of
national education sectors in promoting awareness
The strategy updates and expands previous UNESCO of HIV testing and treatment and in preventing
strategies and responds to recent developments in early and unintended pregnancy. We will also step
the global education, HIV and health agendas. It is up efforts to eliminate school-related violence and
aligned with, and will contribute to, achievement of bullying, including gender-based violence, to prevent
the Sustainable Development Goals – in particular discrimination, and to support schools to promote
those related to education, health and gender equality healthy lifestyles. These priorities are consistent
– and the targets in the new UNAIDS 2016-2021 with UNESCO’s commitment to advancing human
Strategy. It reflects growing international recognition rights, gender equality and social justice.
of the inter-relationship between education and
health, and the high priority that UNESCO continues The result of an extensive consultation process,
to give to strengthening the response to HIV and this strategy provides the overarching framework
AIDS. for concerted action by UNESCO and its partners
at global, regional and country levels during 2016-
The strategy builds on UNESCO’s longstanding 2021. Implementation of the strategy will be led by
experience of supporting national education sector UNESCO’s Section for Health and Education, which
responses to HIV, and promoting comprehensive works with UNESCO’s other sectors, institutes,
sexuality education. It reflects UNESCO’s work in regional bureaux and field offices. We will continue
promoting safe and inclusive learning environments, to mobilise resources through our regular budget
and its commitment to strengthening the links and extra-budgetary sources, including UNAIDS and
between education and health, which necessitates a the private sector, and to work in partnership with
more comprehensive approach to school health and national governments, other UN agencies, donors,
coordinated action across sectors. civil society organizations, professional associations,
To promote better health and well-being for all academic and training institutions, organizations and
children and young people, UNESCO will structure networks of young people, faith-based, community
its work around two strategic priorities – ensuring and parents’ organizations, the private sector and
that all children and young people benefit from good the media.
quality, comprehensive sexuality education that
includes HIV education, and ensuring that all children
and young people have access to safe, inclusive,
health-promoting learning environments.

Qian Tang, Ph.D.

Assistant Director-General for Education

UNESCO

5
 1 INTRODUCTION
AND BACKGROUND

This document is the new UNESCO Strategy Section 3 outlines how UNESCO will implement the
on Education for Better Health and Well-Being: strategy.
Contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals.
The new strategy: The strategy builds on UNESCO’s longstanding
commitment to strengthening the links between
 Updates previous UNESCO strategies and education and health. This reflects international
provides the overarching framework for concerted commitments set out in the 1986 Ottawa Charter for
action by UNESCO and its partners at global, Health Promotion, the 2000 Dakar World Education
regional and country levels during 2016-2021. Forum Framework for Action and, more recently, the
 Builds on UNESCO’s work on HIV and on 2015 Incheon Declaration, Education 2030: Towards
promoting comprehensive sexuality education inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong
and safe and inclusive learning environments, learning for all.
and places more emphasis on the role of schools
It also reflects growing international recognition
in promoting health.
of the inter-relationship between education and
 Reflects recent developments in the global health, which necessitates a more comprehensive
education, HIV and health agendas and is aligned approach to school health and coordinated action
with the new UNAIDS 2016-2021 Strategy and across sectors. The Global Education First Initiative1
the Sustainable Development Goals, in particular identifies health as one of the core outcomes of
SDG3 Health, SDG4 Education and SDG5 Gender good quality education and the Incheon Declaration2
Equality. states that quality education ‘develops the skills,
values and attitudes that enable citizens to lead
This section summarises the background and context
for the strategy; Section 2 provides an overview of
the strategy’s goal, priorities and key outcomes; and 1 http://globaleducationfirst.org
2 Education 2030: Towards inclusive and equitable quality education and
lifelong learning for all, 2015.

6
healthy and fulfilled lives, make informed decisions, contribute to achievement of the targets in the new
and respond to local and global challenges’. There UNAIDS Strategy 2016-2021 (see Annex 1).
is good evidence that education is strongly linked
to health outcomes and to determinants of health Finally, the new strategy reflects increased
such as health behaviours, risk contexts and use of awareness of the importance of investing in
preventive services.3 Effective skills-based education adolescents6. Adolescence is a critical stage in life,
creates awareness of the risks of unprotected sex for education, health, and physical, emotional and
and substance use, encourages the adoption of psychological development.7 It is also a time when
healthier behaviours, and develops attitudes and young people may start to engage in behaviours
values that support human rights and gender equality. that can adversely affect their health and education.
Health is equally fundamental to education. Healthy HIV, suicide and violence are among the five leading
and happy learners learn better, while poor health causes of death among adolescent boys and girls.8
can have a detrimental effect on school attendance Adolescence ‘represents an opportunity to influence
and academic performance. key decision-making processes such as the timing
of sexual debut and parenthood, the onset or
In addition, it reflects growing recognition of the avoidance of risky and addictive behaviours as well
impact that the school environment has on learning. as the acquisition of life skills’.9 In the 2016-2030
Schools that are safe and inclusive for all children Global Health Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and
and young people are essential for effective learning Adolescents’ Health, the UN Secretary-General
and the strategy builds on UNESCO’s efforts to states that ‘by helping adolescents to realise their
ensure that schools are free from fear, harm and rights to health, well-being, education and full and
discrimination. equal participation in society, we are equipping them
to attain their full potential as adults’. Investing in the
The strategy will contribute to achieving the objectives education and health of children and adolescents is
of UNESCO’s Education Strategy 2014-20214, in also essential to realise the potential benefits of the
particular ‘promoting health through education’, ‘demographic dividend’.10
which commits UNESCO to ‘strengthen support
for Member States to deliver health education that
contributes to healthy lifestyles and gender equality
through safe and equitable learning environments
that promote overall well-being, good quality
education and learning outcomes for all’. It will also
contribute to UNESCO’s Medium Term Strategy5 and
Member States’ achievement of the Sustainable
Development Goals (see Annex 1).

The new strategy reflects UNESCO’s longstanding

commitment to addressing HIV. As one of the
founders of the UNAIDS Joint Programme, UNESCO
has played a leading role in supporting national
education sector responses to HIV since 1996,
guided by earlier strategies including, most recently,
its Strategy for HIV and AIDS 2011-2015. The new
strategy reflects the unfinished and evolving HIV
agenda, and the shift, both within and outside
UNESCO, from a narrow focus on HIV education to
6 There are no universally accepted definitions of children, adolescents
situating HIV within the framework of comprehensive and youth. The UN understands children as those aged up to 18 years,
adolescents as those aged 10-19 years and youth as those aged 15-24 years;
sexuality education. Within this framework, UNESCO together adolescents and youth are referred to as young people.
will continue to support national education sector 7 See for example: Health for the world’s adolescents: A second chance in a
second decade, WHO, 2014; the power of 1.8 billion: Adolescents, youth and
action to prevent HIV and HIV-related stigma and the transformation of the future, UNFPA, 2014.
discrimination and to promote treatment literacy 8 The Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health 2016-
2030. Every Woman Every Child 2015.
and access to testing and treatment and, hence, to 9 Minsk Declaration. The Life-course Approach in the Context of Health 2020.
10 If a country’s demographic structure shifts, so that more of the population
are within the age range of 15 to 64 years than in older or younger age
groups, it can benefit from the increased productivity of a large, working
age population coupled with lower overall dependency of the remaining
3 See for example: What are the effects of education on health? Feinstein L population, and this in turn can free up resources for investment in
et al in Measuring the effects of education on health and civic engagement: education and health. A number of emerging economies are shifting
Proceedings of the Copenhagen Symposium, OECD, 2006. towards this demographic profile and countries where more than 40 per
4 http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0023/002312/231288e.pdf cent of the population is under 15 also have the potential to benefit from the
5 http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0022/002266/226695e.pdf demographic dividend.

7
 2 GOAL AND STRATEGI C
PRIORITIES

UNESCO’s Goal
UNESCO’s goal is to support the contribution of health education, safe learning environments and
national education sectors to ending AIDS and links to health services.11
promoting better health and well-being for all children
and young people. This, in turn, will contribute to The strategic priorities are inter-dependent and
achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, mutually reinforcing. For example, comprehensive
particularly those related to education, health and sexuality education that promotes respect for
gender equality. others and positive attitudes towards diversity is
critical to a safe, inclusive and non-discriminatory
To achieve this goal, UNESCO has identified two learning environment. Safe and inclusive learning
strategic priorities: environments are critical to support healthier
choices about sexual and reproductive health
 To ensure that all children and young people and relationships. Effective education to promote
benefit from good quality, comprehensive better health can build on lessons learned from
sexuality education that includes HIV education comprehensive sexuality and HIV education. A
 To ensure that all children and young people school environment that promotes good nutrition,
have access to safe, inclusive, health-promoting provides opportunities for physical activity and has
learning environments safe and sanitary facilities is essential to reinforce
education about health.
These strategic priorities are an integral part of
a comprehensive school health approach that
encompasses policy and systems, skills-based
11 This reflects the integrated approach set out in the Focusing Resources on
Effective School Health (FRESH) framework.

8
The strategic priorities are also grounded in human young people who have substance use problems or
rights and gender equality principles, which will inform who have experienced violence, including bullying,
all actions taken within the framework of this strategy. is also essential to reinforce the efforts of national
education sectors to promote safe, healthy and
Access to services is a cross-cutting issue. inclusive learning environments. Depending on the
Comprehensive sexuality education must be context, school health services may have a role to
complemented by access to sexual and reproductive play, for example, in ensuring access to condoms,
health (SRH) services so that young people can take family planning and counselling.
steps to prevent unintended pregnancy, protect
themselves from HIV and other sexually transmitted The context and rationale for the two strategic
infections, find out their HIV status and receive HIV priorities are discussed in more detail below.
treatment. Access to services, such as support for

Strategic priority 1:
All children and young people benefit from good quality
comprehensive sexuality education
Key outcomes for UNESCO include: Despite clear and compelling evidence of these
benefits, many children and young people are not
 Preventing HIV and other sexually transmitted realising access to good quality comprehensive
infections sexuality education. To address this, and for the reasons
 Promoting awareness of HIV testing, knowing discussed below, there is a need to both expand the
one’s status, and HIV treatment coverage and improve the quality of comprehensive
 Strengthening puberty education sexuality education. In addition, comprehensive
 Preventing early and unintended pregnancy sexuality education must better address the needs of
all children and young people, including those living
 Developing attitudes, values and skills for healthy
with HIV, those who are most vulnerable, those who
and respectful relationships
may not be in school, and those who do not conform
Comprehensive sexuality education12, of which HIV to gender norms.
is a core component, is central to achieving these
The HIV epidemic is not over and young people
key outcomes. It is a critical intervention in efforts
remain disproportionately at risk. Those aged 15-24
to end AIDS as a public health threat and to enable
years account for 16 per cent of the global population,
young people to reduce their risk of HIV infection.
but represent 34 per cent of those aged 15-49 years
It is also a critical intervention for promoting SRH,
acquiring HIV each year. Young women in sub-Saharan
gender equality and healthy relationships, all of which
Africa are especially at risk. In 2015, there were an
can positively affect education and health outcomes.
estimated 250,000 new HIV infections worldwide
Good quality school-based comprehensive sexuality among adolescents aged 15-19 years, with adolescent
education13 increases correct knowledge, promotes girls accounting for 65 per cent of new infections
positive attitudes and values, and develops skills among this age group. AIDS is the leading cause of
to make informed choices. These in turn have death in adolescents aged 10-19 years in sub-Saharan
demonstrated sexual and reproductive health Africa and the second leading cause of death among
benefits that include delaying sexual debut, reducing adolescents globally.
the number of sexual partners, and reducing
Knowledge is a prerequisite for healthy behaviours but
unprotected sex, unintended pregnancy, HIV and
many young people are still poorly informed about HIV.
other sexually transmitted infections.
Country data reported to UNAIDS shows that fewer than
40 per cent of young people have a basic understanding
of HIV and fewer still have accurate knowledge about
how to prevent infection. Effective school-based HIV
12 Comprehensive sexuality education is defined as an age-appropriate,
culturally relevant and gender transformative approach to teaching about education offers a significant opportunity to provide
sex and relationships that provides scientifically accurate, realistic, non- children and young people with the knowledge and
judgmental information and provides opportunities to explore values and
attitudes and to build decision-making, communication and risk-reduction skills they need to protect themselves and others
skills. See International Technical Guidance on Sexuality Education,
UNESCO, 2009.
from infection. It can also ensure that that they are
13 UNESCO has identified essential and desirable topics to be covered by aware of developments in HIV prevention, such as
comprehensive sexuality education (see Annex 2).

9
 combination prevention,14 and specific interventions, Puberty can be a challenging time for young people,
such as treatment as prevention, PrEP15 and voluntary especially if they are not well prepared or supported.
male medical circumcision. Children and young people Awareness and understanding of the changes that take
outside of school can be reached with non-formal place during puberty is often limited. Many girls know
education. nothing about menstruation until they experience it
and, in many cultures, information provided is selective
Almost 50 per cent of people living with HIV globally or based on taboos and myths. Many boys also lack
– 17.1 million of 36.9 million16 – do not know that they accurate information about menstruation, which
have the virus and consequently are not benefiting from can result in lack of empathy for, and harassment of,
treatment. Treatment is critical as it enables people with girls.17 In response, UNESCO has produced normative
HIV to live longer, healthier and more productive lives guidance on puberty education and menstrual hygiene
and, by reducing viral load, helps to prevent onward management18 and will support national education
transmission of HIV. Education – formal, informal and sectors to integrate this within the framework of
non-formal – can play an important role by ensuring that comprehensive sexuality education.
all children and young people understand the benefits
of testing, develop treatment literacy and have the Many young people also lack basic knowledge about
skills required to access services if they need them. pregnancy and do not have the information and skills
required to access family planning services and use
contraceptives. The State of World Population Report
Promoting HIV testing 2013, which focused on adolescent pregnancy,
and treatment literacy highlights sexuality education and access to services as
two key interventions to reduce early and unintended
UNESCO is supporting efforts to increase uptake
pregnancy.19
of HIV testing and ensure that all young people are
aware of the benefits of early initiation of treatment. Comprehensive sexuality education is essential to
For example, in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, enable children and young people to develop accurate
UNESCO has worked with partners on a regional and age-appropriate knowledge, attitudes and skills
HIV testing campaign targeting young people and related to these issues and, ideally, it should start
adults and, in Eastern and Southern Africa, UNESCO before they reach puberty and become sexually active.
had led efforts in ten countries to build the capacity Comprehensive sexuality education can also develop
of teachers and peer-to-peer educators to promote positive values including respect for human rights,
treatment literacy through the Adolescent Treatment gender equality and diversity and develop the attitudes
Literacy Toolkit. and skills that contribute to safe, healthy, positive
relationships.
Review of experience since publication of the
There is growing demand from young people
International Technical Guidance on Sexuality Education
themselves for good quality comprehensive sexuality
in 2009 has also identified the need to pay more
education, for example, the 2011 Mali Call to Action, 2012
attention to sexual and reproductive health issues such
Bali Global Youth Forum and the 2013 UNECE Regional
as puberty and menstruation, early and unintended
Youth Conference Istanbul Call to Action, which called
pregnancy and family planning.
for evidence-based comprehensive sexuality education
Sexual and reproductive health has a direct impact on to be prioritised as ‘an efficient and effective method of
the education and future prospects of young people. empowering us to make informed choices about our
For example, early and unintended pregnancy increases sexual lives, practice life skills and explore attitudes and
the risk of absenteeism, poor academic attainment values’. More recently, the Youth Statement on the 2030
and early drop out from school for girls and also has Agenda for Sustainable Development highlighted the
educational implications for young fathers. The risk of importance of young people’s sexual and reproductive
complications and death is also higher among younger health and rights. Many parents and communities
mothers; in low and middle-income countries the risk are also actively supportive of provision of education
of maternal death for mothers under the age of 15 is about sexuality in schools, because of concerns
double that of older mothers. about adolescent pregnancy, sexual violence and the
conflicting messages that young people receive from
14 Combination HIV prevention includes primary prevention and prevention society and the media.
of onward HIV transmission; it involves a combination of biomedical,
behavioural and structural interventions tailored to the epidemic context
and people’s situation, risk and choices. 17 See fact sheet on men and boys www.menstrualhygieneday.org
15 Pre-exposure prophylaxis: The use of medication used to treat HIV 18 Puberty Education and Menstrual Hygiene Management. Good Policy and
(antiretroviral drugs) to reduce the risk of becoming infected; among people Practice in Health Education, Booklet 9. UNESCO, 2014.
who are HIV negative and at high risk of HIV infection. 19 Motherhood in childhood: Facing the challenge of adolescent pregnancy.
16 UNAIDS. AIDS by the numbers 2015. The State of World Population, UNFPA, 2013.

10
There has been considerable progress with government commitment, there is still a gap between
implementation of comprehensive sexuality education policy and practice, and that school curricula and the
in recent years. UNESCO support, together with that of skills of educators need to be strengthened.
other partners, has made an important contribution to
building commitment and many countries have taken Ensuring that comprehensive curricula and teaching
steps to integrate comprehensive sexuality education and learning materials are developed, that sexuality
into teacher training and school curricula. education is allocated adequate time in the school
timetable and that teachers are trained and supported
to deliver it, will be critical. More attention must be
Increased commitment to paid to ensuring that pre-service and in-service training
comprehensive sexuality education in provides teachers with the requisite knowledge
East and Southern Africa and skills, to assessing how they are delivering
comprehensive sexuality education, to addressing
Extensive engagement with policy-makers in East the reasons for poor delivery, and building teachers’
and Southern Africa resulted in the 2013 Ministerial capacity.
Commitment, Young People Today: Time to Act Now,
which was endorsed by Ministers of Education In some contexts, a selective approach to sexuality
and Health from 21 countries in the region and education is taken that avoids more sensitive or
aims to ensure that all children and young people challenging topics. In such contexts, the national
have access to high quality, comprehensive life education sector needs to engage with parents,
skills-based HIV and sexuality education and to politicians, community and religious leaders to ensure
appropriate youth-friendly health services. Ministries that they understand the benefits of comprehensive
of education and health in the region have made joint sexuality education and address misconceptions
commitments to reducing HIV infections, reducing about its consequences.
adolescent pregnancy, and preventing gender- National education sectors also need to take
based violence and child marriage. Joint work plans advantage of the opportunities presented by
have been developed by a number of countries and information and communication technologies to
21 countries have incorporated comprehensive expand and strengthen comprehensive sexuality
sexuality education content into school curricula. education. Technology can facilitate new ways of
UNESCO efforts to strengthen sexual and teaching and learning and some countries are already
reproductive health and HIV prevention through implementing internet-based sexuality education
promoting comprehensive sexuality education have courses for educators and learners. This approach
reached more than 34,000 schools, 80,000 teachers can support educational efforts to reach children and
and 4 million learners in the region. In addition, young people in non-formal settings.
UNESCO has, together with partners, commissioned
various studies to inform the achievement of the Finally, it is important to recognise that national
Commitment targets focusing on school-related education sectors alone cannot improve young
gender-based violence, early and unintended people’s sexual and reproductive health. Education
pregnancy, laws concerning adolescent sexual and must be complemented by access to youth-friendly,
reproductive health, and comprehensive sexuality non-judgmental, confidential health services
education in teacher training, as well as developing a that can provide appropriate advice, care and
community engagement strategy that targets young commodities, including free or affordable condoms
people and parent-teacher associations. and contraceptives. Collaboration between the
education and health sectors is therefore essential.
Working together, these two sectors ‘have enormous
Despite this, much more needs to be done to potential to promote the good health and well-being
improve the coverage and quality of comprehensive of all individuals and communities and to prevent
sexuality education, if all young people are to develop early and unintended pregnancy, transmission of
the knowledge and skills they need. Challenges to HIV and other sexually transmitted infections and
be addressed include lack of appropriate national to facilitate access to care and support particularly
education sector policies, failure to implement for adolescents and young people living with HIV
comprehensive sexuality education at scale and lack or heightened vulnerability to sexually transmitted
of support for education managers and teachers, infections including HIV’.20
resulting in inadequacies in the quality and delivery
of comprehensive sexuality education. For example,
a 2015 review of the status of comprehensive
20 East and Southern Africa Ministerial Commitment, Young People Today: Time
sexuality education in 48 countries found that, despite to Act Now, 2013.

11
 Strategic priority 2:
All children and young people have access to safe, inclusive,
health-promoting learning environments
Key outcomes for UNESCO include: impact on learning and psychological well-being.
Teachers as well as learners are affected by violence
 Eliminating school-related violence and bullying and discrimination in schools, and ensuring that
including school-related gender-based violence the school environment is safe and enabling for all
 Preventing health- and gender-related discrimination is integral to ensuring a good quality education for
towards learners and educators learners.
 Increasing awareness of the importance of good
Learners affected by school-related gender-based
nutrition and quality physical education
violence may avoid classes, participate less in
 Preventing use of harmful substances class or find it difficult to concentrate, or drop out
Violence in educational settings is a problem in all from school altogether. Concerns about sexual
countries. One estimate suggests that, globally, 246 harassment in and around school are often cited by
million children and adolescents experience some parents as a reason for not sending girls to school.
form of gender-based violence in and around school School-related gender-based violence also increases
every year.21 Although in many contexts girls are the risk of unintended pregnancy and other sexual
more likely to experience gender-based violence, and reproductive health problems, and affects girls’
the United Nations World Report on Violence against physical, psychological and social well-being, all of
Children in 2006 showed that bullying particularly which can have a detrimental effect on education
affects learners who are perceived not to conform outcomes.
to prevailing sexual and gender norms. A recent Bullying, which is a specific form of violence, can
UNESCO report showed that students considered to also result in reduced school attendance, early drop
be gender non-conforming experienced significantly out from school and poorer academic performance
higher levels of school violence and bullying.22 and achievement. It increases the risk of depression,
Discrimination towards children and young people in anxiety, loss of confidence, reduced self-esteem,
school, as well as towards teachers, based on gender psychological stress and social isolation, which
norms, ethnicity, disability, social or economic status has a negative impact on educational outcomes.
among other issues, is also a significant problem There is also evidence that young people who have
in many contexts. Despite efforts to promote a experienced bullying at school may be more likely
supportive legal and policy environment for people to abuse alcohol and drugs and engage in high-risk
living with HIV, stigma and discrimination continue sexual behaviour.
to affect learners and educators living with HIV. National education sectors need to adopt and
Children and young people from marginalised or key implement measures to prevent and address
populations also experience discrimination in some violence and discrimination, because of their impact
educational settings. on education, health and well-being and because
Schools that are not safe or inclusive violate the they stop children and young people from achieving
right to education, which is enshrined in the United their potential.
Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, and Schools also act as an important socialising
contravene the Convention against Discrimination in mechanism and school-based education is a core
Education, which aims to eliminate discrimination component of a comprehensive response to gender-
and promote the adoption of measures that ensure based violence and discrimination in educational
equality of opportunity and treatment. settings. School-based education, in particular
Violence in and around schools, including bullying, comprehensive sexuality education, can challenge
abuse and sexual harassment, also undermines harmful norms and foster attitudes and values that
learning and has adverse physical and mental health promote respect for diversity, human rights and
consequences. Discrimination also has a negative gender equality. More specifically, there is clear
evidence that comprehensive sexuality education
reduces stigma and discrimination towards people
21 A girl’s right to learn without fear: Working to end gender-based violence at
school. Plan International UK, 2013.
living with HIV.
22 Out in the Open: Education sector responses to violence based on sexual
orientation or gender identity/expression. UNESCO, Paris, 2016.

12
 Ensuring that these commitments are translated
Preventing HIV-related stigma and into policy and practice will be critical in the coming
discrimination years. Strengthening links between national
education sectors and other sectors is essential, so
UNESCO supports a range of actions to prevent that schools can refer children and young people to
HIV-related stigma and discrimination in appropriate services.
educational settings. In Eastern Europe and
Central Asia, where an estimated 150,000 children
and adolescents are living with, or affected by, Taking action to eliminate school-
HIV, UNESCO has produced a series of short related gender-based violence
videos featuring people living with HIV talking
The Global Working Group to End School-Related
about their lives and experiences, including young
Gender-Based Violence, which was established
learners describing the impact of discrimination
in 2014, is co-hosted by UNESCO and the United
and rejection by fellow learners at school.
Nations Girls’ Education Initiative (UNGEI).
UNESCO has also supported a consultation on The Working Group comprises 30 international
adolescents living with HIV in the Asia-Pacific, agencies, donors and civil society organizations.
with the Asia Pacific Network of People Living with With the Working Group, UNESCO commissioned
HIV, UNICEF and Treat Asia, at which young people the first global review of policies and practice
highlighted the need for school policies to address in school-related gender-based violence, a
stigma and discrimination. discussion paper, a policy paper and a regional
review in the Asia Pacific.
There is growing support for action to eliminate UNESCO has supported action at regional and
school-related gender-based violence. In 2015, 58 national level including working with UNGEI and
countries signed up to the first ever UN resolution the UNiTE campaign to mobilise policy-makers
on school-related gender-based violence, Learning and young people in the Asia-Pacific region,
without Fear. Advocacy by the Global Working training teachers and school administrators in
Group to End School-Related Gender-Based Violence the Asia-Pacific and West and Central Africa
(see Box below) also resulted in the inclusion regions, and conducting studies of school-related
of a commitment to eliminating gender-based gender-based violence in Indonesia, Thailand and
discrimination and violence in schools in the Incheon Vietnam. UNESCO’s institutes, IIEP and IBE, have
Declaration, which was endorsed by Member States also developed practical tools and resources to
at the World Education Forum in 2015.23 promote safety, resilience and social cohesion in
educational settings.
23 Education 2030: Towards inclusive and equitable quality education and
lifelong learning for all, 2015.

13
 National education sectors also need to respond to specifically, use of alcohol can increase the risk of
the changing global burden of disease. In much of unsafe sex and sexual violence, and injecting drugs
the world, non-communicable diseases are now the increases the risk of HIV and hepatitis. Schools can
main cause of illness and death. Around 80 per cent contribute to prevention of substance use, through
of deaths from non-communicable diseases are due skills-based education that targets learners before
to cardiovascular disease, cancer, chronic respiratory adolescence. In some contexts, national education
disease or diabetes. These diseases share four risk sectors also play an important role in provision of
factors: unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, tobacco information about harm reduction for children and
use and harmful use of alcohol. young people who are using substances.

Unhealthy diet and lack of physical activity are

major reasons for the growing problem of obesity Strengthening national education
in children, adolescents and adults, which increases sector responses to substance use
the risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease and some
cancers.24 It is estimated that, globally, 70 per cent In 2014, UNESCO, together with UNODC and
of preventable adult deaths from non-communicable WHO, launched an initiative to develop practical
diseases are linked to risk factors that start in guidance for evidence-based national education
adolescence, and that 80 per cent of adolescents are sector responses to substance use among children
insufficiently physically active.25 Healthy behaviours and young people. Action to date has included
established at younger ages can therefore have long- commissioning a technical background paper and
lasting benefits for health. organizing, in partnership with the Government of
Turkey, an international expert meeting, held in
Although a range of social, economic and Istanbul in October 2015. Joint guidance, which
environmental factors influences people’s ability to will summarise data on the prevalence and
adopt healthy behaviours, national education sectors consequences of substance use among children
are central to developing the knowledge, attitudes and young people, outline evidence-informed
and skills that are the prerequisite for making national education sector responses and highlight
healthier choices. Schools are an important setting examples of effective approaches, including
for promoting a healthy diet and physical education linkages with the health sector, will be launched
and activity, through a whole school approach that in 2016.
includes skills-based education.

The WHO Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity Safe and inclusive facilities are important for the
and Health recommends to Member States that health of learners in general but are especially
school policies and programmes should support the important for girls once they reach puberty. Globally,
adoption of healthy diets and physical activity through one in four girls reports that they do not feel safe
nutrition education, school feeding programmes, in school toilets or latrines and UNESCO’s recent
inclusive physical education and creating a supportive policy and evidence work on menstrual hygiene
environment. National education sectors can also management has also shown that lack of toilets,
promote good nutrition and physical activity through water supplies and soap, disposal facilities and
strengthening school links with nutrition, youth, privacy can contribute to absenteeism and drop out
sports and other relevant programmes and with among girls once they start menstruation.
communities.

Many young people start smoking, drinking alcohol

or using drugs during adolescence. For example,
almost 90 per cent of adult smokers start smoking
as teenagers. According to World Bank data,
worldwide, between 82,000 and 99,000 young
people start smoking every day.26 Harmful use of
alcohol and drugs can have an adverse impact on
school attendance, retention and performance,
increase vulnerability to poor health outcomes
and undermine future health and well-being. More

24 Global Nutrition Report, WHO, 2014.

25 The Global Strategy for Women’s Children’s and Adolescent’s Health 2016-
2030. Every Woman Every Child 2015.
26 Global Trends in Tobacco Use

14
 3 IMPLEMENTING
THE STRATEGY

Implementation of the strategy will build on Based on its mandate and comparative advantage,
UNESCO’s guiding principles (see following page) and UNESCO will focus primarily on support for
its longstanding work on promoting comprehensive interventions in formal educational settings, but
sexuality education, safe and inclusive schools and will also contribute to the actions of other partners
school health through a range of global, regional and intended to improve health through non-formal and
national initiatives. It will also build on UNESCO’s informal education. UNESCO will give priority to
track record in HIV, as the lead UN agency on support supporting national education sectors to ensure that
to countries to scale-up responses by national all children and young people have the opportunity to
education sectors, including HIV prevention with develop the knowledge, attitudes and skills needed
young people in educational settings. for healthy lives and relationships in the context of a
supportive learning environment.

15
 UNESCO’s guiding principles
 Human rights – UNESCO is guided by international human rights principles, conventions and standards.
UNESCO takes a human rights-based approach in all its actions that emphasises equality, non-discrimination
and respect for diversity, participation and accountability.
 Gender – UNESCO supports gender-transformative programming that advances gender equality and respect
for diversity, and addresses gender roles, cultural norms and power structures that increase young people’s
vulnerability and adversely affect their health and education outcomes and well-being.
 Country ownership – UNESCO is committed to the principles of national ownership, harmonisation and
alignment in line with the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness, and will continue to align its actions with
national priorities, plans and processes.
 Evidence – UNESCO supports approaches that are scientifically accurate and grounded in evidence and will
support countries to implement evidence-informed education responses that contribute to better health and
education outcomes and improved well-being.
 Participation of young people – UNESCO targets actions to meet the needs of children, adolescents and young
people and works with youth networks and organizations and initiatives that promote their involvement in
shaping the policies and programmes that affect their lives.

Coordination across UNESCO sectors and institutes

Implementation will be led by the Section for website and information service. This will be a core
Health and Education, which works with UNESCO’s component of UNESCO’s role in generating and
sectors, institutes, regional bureaux, field offices communicating knowledge in order to influence
and central services to maximise synergies and to policy, practice and government and donor funding
avoid duplication, utilizing regular communication priorities. In addition, UNESCO will be at the
channels and other opportunities to ensure good forefront of monitoring developments and sharing
coordination. UNESCO’s institutes, including the evidence about the role of new technologies and
International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP) media in education and their potential to enhance
and International Bureau of Education (IBE), will learning and skills.
continue to make an important contribution, through
technical assistance, capacity-building, support for UNESCO will continue to provide support at regional
curriculum development for learners and for pre- and country level through its network of regional
service and in-service teacher training, analysis of advisors, in the Asia-Pacific, West and Central Africa,
good practice, and development of guidance and East and Southern Africa, Eastern Europe and Central
practical resources. UNESCO’s Institute of Statistics Asia, and Latin America and Caribbean regions,
will also play an important role in strengthening and national programme officers and programme
national education sector data collection, monitoring professionals in UNESCO field offices. UNESCO will
and evaluation. also draw on the collective experience and expertise
at global and regional levels of other UNESCO
UNESCO’s HIV and Health Education clearinghouse, sectors, including Communication and Information,
itself a collaboration between IIEP, IBE and UNESCO’s Gender Equality, Culture, Social, Human and Natural
regional bureaux and field offices, will maintain its Sciences, and ensure that its work complements
support to education ministries, researchers and other UNESCO strategies and plans such as the
practitioners through a comprehensive database, Youth Strategy and Gender Equality Action Plan.

16
Partnerships
Partnerships with a range of actors will be central and country levels to deliver results and respond to
to implementing the strategy. UNESCO is also country needs and priorities. At country level, UN
committed to building bridges between civil society, Joint Teams will remain an important mechanism
in particular youth and gender equality networks, for joint advocacy and action on issues such as
governments, donors and UN organizations. comprehensive sexuality education, access to sexual
and reproductive health services and school-related
Partnerships with national governments, in particular gender-based violence as well as wider school health
strong and well-established relationships with promotion.
education ministries, remain at the core of UNESCO’s
work. UNESCO will also continue to work with its Partnerships with other UN agencies will be
many other partners, which include UN agencies, strengthened, to take forward global, regional and
donors, civil society organizations, professional national action and support collaboration between
associations, academic and training institutions, the national education sectors and other sectors at
organizations and networks of young people, faith- country level. For example, UNESCO will build on
based, community and parents’ organizations, the joint work with UNFPA on comprehensive sexuality
private sector and the media. education, with ILO on teacher training and safe and
inclusive schools and with UNICEF, UNFPA, UNDP
While national education sectors have a key role and UN Women on prevention of school-related
to play, they cannot address HIV, sexual and gender-based violence. UNESCO will also work with
reproductive health and other issues that affect the WHO and UNODC on prevention of use of harmful
health of children and young people alone. Action by substances among young people, WHO and UNICEF
other sectors is needed to address structural factors, on school health and with WHO on how national
to ensure that children and young people have access education sectors can help to prevent and minimise
to appropriate, quality and affordable services, and to the impact of emerging health issues and disease
promote a supportive environment outside of school. outbreaks such as the Zika virus. Opportunities to
UNESCO will therefore promote national education strengthen collaboration with UNICEF on school
sector links and collaboration with other sectors water and sanitation and with WFP on school
including health, youth, child protection, social nutrition will also be explored.
protection, justice, water and sanitation. In addition,
UNESCO will support enhanced collaboration within UNESCO will continue to work in partnership
education ministries, departments and institutions, with other UN agencies, donors and civil society
for example, between those working on teacher organizations through global platforms, such as
training, curriculum development and school health. Every Woman Every Child, which aims to ensure
the Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and
UNESCO will sustain and strengthen partnerships Adolescents’ Health is implemented, and inter-
with donors, who have provided vital support for agency mechanisms, such as the Inter-Agency
its work on HIV, comprehensive sexuality education Task Team on Education and School Health that is
and school-related gender-based violence that this convened by UNESCO, and the FRESH partnership.
strategy will build on.
Other partnerships, with teachers’ associations,
UNESCO will continue to work on HIV with the training institutions, parents, communities and civil
UNAIDS Secretariat and other UNAIDS’ co-sponsors, society organizations such as youth networks and
guided by the Division of Labour, which describes faith-based organizations, will also be strengthened.
how the Joint Programme acts collectively at global

17
 Key areas of action
UNESCO actions will be tailored to regional and non-communicable diseases28 and obesity, but
country priorities and respond to emerging needs also encourages the development of well-rounded
over the coming years. The following outlines broad children and adolescents who will be more likely to
areas of action, based on UNESCO’s core functions, regularly participate in physical activity and adopt
with indicative examples of activities. healthy habits throughout their lives.

Leadership and advocacy Guidance

UNESCO plays a key leadership role in developing UNESCO provides evidence-based policy and
and critically evaluating new thinking and in driving technical guidance to education ministries to support
and influencing global and regional debate on issues comprehensive, effective, rights-based responses.
relating to its mandate. UNESCO also advocates at
global, regional and national levels for political and For example, UNESCO will: revise and update
financial commitment to strengthen the role of international technical guidance on sexuality
national education sectors and for changes to laws education in partnership with UNFPA, UNICEF,
and policies, for example, those that limit young WHO, UN Women and the UNAIDS Secretariat, and
people’s access to sexuality education and sexual support countries to adapt and use it. UNESCO will
and reproductive health services. produce practical guidance which, in the short-term,
will focus on joint action with the health sector to
For example, UNESCO will: advocate for a whole prevent early and unintended pregnancy. Together
school approach to HIV, comprehensive sexuality with WHO and UNODC, UNESCO will also produce
education and health that encompasses policy, guidance on implementing school-based prevention
systems, skills-based health education, safe of and responses to use of harmful substances
learning environments, links to health services among young people.
and engagement with parents and communities;
strengthen policy dialogue on school health through
the UNAIDS Inter-Agency Task Team on Education Capacity-building
and School Health; advocate for national education
sectors to implement measures to eliminate UNESCO builds the capacity of education
violence, including gender-based violence and ministries for policy, planning and implementation,
bullying, and discrimination in educational settings; and increasingly works with other ministries, in
continue to advocate for laws and policies that protect particular health, to encourage stronger linkages and
the rights of all learners and educators and prevent coordination between key sectors. UNESCO also
discrimination; advocate for a stronger emphasis on builds the capacity of partners outside governments
school-based awareness-raising of the importance such as scientific institutions, youth organizations
of HIV testing and treatment; and advocate for and the media.
greater involvement of national education sectors in
issues such as ending early and child marriage and For example, UNESCO will: provide technical
preventing adolescent pregnancy. assistance and capacity-building for education
ministries to develop and implement policies and
UNESCO will also continue cooperating with guidelines that support comprehensive sexuality
partners27 to advocate for quality physical education education, safe and inclusive learning environments
(QPE), notably by accompanying five pilot countries and school health; provide training for policy-makers,
(Fiji, Mexico, South Africa, Tunisia, Zambia) in the planners, managers and teachers and support for
revision of their national physical education policy curriculum and materials development; and support
to be holistic, child-centred, flexible and inclusive. education ministries to develop and implement
By doing so, QPE does not only help to address measures to reduce school-related gender-based
violence including codes of conduct for educators
and students.

27 The European Commission, the International Bureau of Education

(IBE), International Council of Sport Science and Physical Education
(ICSSPE), International Olympic Committee (IOC), Nike, the United 28 In the framework of the WHO Global action plan for the prevention and
Nations Development Programme (UNDP), UNICEF and the World Health control of NCDs 2013-2020, notably including the objective of “a 10%
Organization (WHO). relative reduction in prevalence of insufficient physical activity”.

18
Knowledge generation and sharing Evaluation framework and development of indicators
for inclusion in Education Management Information
UNESCO supports research and action to improve Systems; and support education ministries to monitor
knowledge and strengthen the evidence base and their contribution to achieving the SDG targets.
promotes sharing of information, expert opinion
and experience, including through south-south
cooperation mechanisms. Convening and coordination
For example, UNESCO will: continue to document UNESCO brings together partners to coordinate
and disseminate knowledge and evidence through action at global and country level, promotes
its Good Policy and Practice series; and generate coordination between sector ministries and
evidence to inform national education sector action. between government and non-government actors,
and supports networking between initiatives with
common agendas.
Monitoring and evaluation
For example, UNESCO will: facilitate collaboration
UNESCO supports the generation of strategic and joint action between education and health
information, monitoring and evaluation of global, ministries and support education ministries to build
regional and country progress and the impact of alliances with other sectors; bring together ministries
national education sector responses. of education to review progress and plan action,
focusing in the short-term on national education
For example, UNESCO will: strengthen global and sector responses to bullying and to substance
national monitoring and evaluation of the coverage, use; continue to co-host the Global Working Group
quality and impact of comprehensive sexuality to End School-Related Gender-Based Violence;
education; build the capacity of national Education and support national education sectors to engage
Management Information Systems for collection and parents, communities, young people, faith-based
analysis of data on skills-based sexuality education; organizations and the media in policy dialogue.
build on work to date on the global Monitoring and

19
 ANNEX 1:
HOW UNESCO’S STRATEGY WILL
CONTRIBUTE TO THE SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT GOALS AND UNAIDS
TARGETS
NO ZERO GOOD HEALTH QUALITY GENDER CLEAN WATER
POVERTY HUNGER AND WELL-BEING EDUCATION EQUALITY AND SANITATION

AFFORDABLE AND DECENT WORK AND INDUSTRY, INNOVATION REDUCED SUSTAINABLE CITIES RESPONSIBLE
CLEAN ENERGY ECONOMIC GROWTH AND INFRASTRUCTURE INEQUALITIES AND COMMUNITIES CONSUMPTION
AND PRODUCTION

CLIMATE LIFE LIFE PEACE, JUSTICE PARTNERSHIPS

ACTION BELOW WATER ON LAND AND STRONG FOR THE GOALS
INSTITUTIONS

HEALTH AND EDUCATION SELECTED HEALTH AND EDUCATION SDG EXAMPLES OF UNESCO STRATEGY’S
SDGS TARGETS CONTRIBUTION

4.1 Ensure all girls and boys complete  Addressing factors that contribute to school
GOAL 4:
primary and secondary education dropout and gender disparities in education
Ensure inclusive
4.5. Eliminate gender disparities in education e.g. early and unintended pregnancy,
and equitable
and ensure equal access… school-related gender-based violence
quality education
4.7 Ensure all learners acquire the  Eliminating bullying and discrimination in
knowledge and skills needed…to promote school settings
… human rights, gender equality, peace and
non-violence
4a…provide safe, non-violent, inclusive and
effective learning environments

3.1 Reduce maternal mortality  Preventing early and unintended pregnancy

GOAL 3:
3.3 End the epidemic of AIDS in adolescent girls, through comprehensive
Ensure healthy
sexuality education and links to sexual and
lives and promote 3.4 Reduce premature mortality from non-
reproductive health services
well-being communicable diseases
 Preventing new HIV infections in young
3.5 Strengthen the prevention and treatment
people and promoting uptake of testing and
of substance use
treatment
 Promoting healthy lives through skills-based
education
 Referral for health and counselling services

20
The UNESCO strategy will also contribute to the achievement of other key SDGs, especially those related to
gender equality, poverty, hunger, peaceful and just societies (see below).

OTHER SDGS EXAMPLES OF SYNERGIES

 Poverty is a key barrier to uptake of educational opportunities

GOAL 1:
End poverty  Education is critical to ending poverty as lack of literacy is a strong factor for exclusion from
many aspects of life and has significant poverty dimensions
 Illness and health care costs can cause or exacerbate poverty

 Good nutrition is essential for effective learning

GOAL 2:
End hunger and  School meals and school feeding programmes can help to reduce hunger and improve
improve nutrition nutrition
 Education about nutrition is vital to healthy lifestyles and to tackle the growing epidemics of
obesity and diabetes
 Better education is critical to increasing agricultural productivity, resilience and food
security

 Education plays a key role in reducing gender inequalities, through equipping girls with
GOAL 5:
knowledge and skills that empower them in their communities and relationships and improve
Gender
their future employment prospects and income, and engagement with boys
equality and
empowerment of  Education can promote attitudes and values that support gender equality and tackle harmful
girls and women gender norms

 Education is critical to economic empowerment, through increasing productivity and well

GOAL 8:
paid employment
Employment and
decent work  Good health is also essential for people to be able to live productive lives; ill health can
contribute to loss of employment and income

 Education can develop the attitudes, values and skills required for peaceful, tolerant and
GOAL 16:
inclusive societies
Peaceful and
inclusive societies  Safe and supportive learning environments that are free from violence and discrimination
provide a model for later life and instil respect for rights, diversity and equality

21
 UNESCO’s strategy is also closely aligned with the UNAIDS 2016-2021 strategy On the Fast-Track to End AIDS,
and its vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. UNESCO’s work
on education and HIV, in particular its strategic priorities of increasing access to good quality comprehensive
sexuality education and making education safe and inclusive, will contribute to the ‘three zeros’ and to the
following specific UNAIDS targets.

UNAIDS TARGETS EXAMPLES OF UNESCO’S CONTRIBUTION

UNAIDS Target 1: HIV education within

comprehensive sexuality
90% of people (children,
education to provide information
adolescents, adults) living
and skills to promote testing
with HIV know their
and ensure that young people
status
can access testing, promote
treatment literacy and support
those living with HIV

Comprehensive
sexuality education to
UNAIDS Target 3:
develop the knowledge,
90% of young people are attitudes, skills and
empowered with the skills, competencies required
knowledge and capability to for HIV prevention
protect themselves from HIV

Comprehensive sexuality
education is a core element of
combination prevention and can
provide the knowledge and skills
and ensure linkages to enable young
people to access prevention and
UNAIDS Target 4: sexual and reproductive health
90% of women and men, services
especially young people, have
access to HIV combination Support for
prevention and SRH services national education
sectors to eliminate
HIV-related discrimination
towards learners and
educators in school
settings

Comprehensive
UNAIDS Target 8: sexuality education
addresses gender inequality
90% of people living with,
and power relations and
at risk of and affected by,
promotes healthy gender norms;
HIV report no discrimination,
Support for national education
especially in health, education
sectors to eliminate school-
and workplace settings
related gender-based
violence

22
ANNEX 2:
COMPREHENS IVE SEXUALITY
EDUCATION – LIFE SKILLS, SEXUAL
AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND
HIV-RELATED CONTENT

Generic life skills

Essential topics  Decision-making, assertiveness
 Communication, negotiation, refusal
 Human rights empowerment
Desirable topics  Acceptance, tolerance, empathy, non-discrimination
 Other gender life skills
Sexual and reproductive health/sexuality
Essential topics  Human growth and development
 Sexual anatomy and physiology
 Family life, marriage, long-term commitment, interpersonal relationships
 Society, culture and sexuality (values, attitudes, social norms, the media in relation to
sexuality)
 Reproduction
 Gender equality and gender roles
 Sexual abuse, resisting unwanted or coerced sex
 Condoms
 Sexual behaviour (sexual practices, pleasure, feelings)
 Transmission and prevention of sexually transmitted infections
Desirable topics  Pregnancy and childbirth
 Contraception other than condoms
 Gender-based violence and harmful practices, rejecting violence
 Sexual diversity
 Sexual and reproductive health services, seeking services
HIV-related content
Essential topics  HIV transmission
 HIV prevention (practising safer sex including condom use)
 HIV treatment
Desirable topics  HIV-related stigma and discrimination
 Counselling and testing services, seeking counselling, testing, treatment, care and support

Source: Emerging evidence, lessons and practice in comprehensive sexuality education: A global review, UNESCO, 2015.

23
 Education
Sector
United Nations
Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization

This strategy builds on UNESCO’s longstanding commitment to strengthen the links between
education and health, reflecting international recognition that a more comprehensive
approach to school health and coordinated action across sectors is needed. As stated
in the 2015 Incheon Declaration, education develops the skills, values and attitudes that
enable citizens to lead healthy and fulfilled lives, make informed decisions, and respond
to local and global challenges.
It updates previous UNESCO strategies and expands on UNESCO’s work on HIV and
on promoting comprehensive sexuality education and safe and inclusive learning
environments, placing more emphasis on the role of schools in promoting health. More
specifically, it reflects recent developments in the global education, HIV and health
agendas, and is aligned with the new UNAIDS 2016-2021 Strategy and the Sustainable
Development Goals, in particular SDG 3 Health, SDG 4 Education and SDG 5 Gender
Equality.

For more information on UNESCO’s work on health and education, visit the website:
http://en.unesco.org/themes/health-education

Sustainable
Development
Goals