Sex education is the instruction of issues relating to human sexuality, including emotional relations
and responsibilities, human sexual anatomy, sexual activity, sexual reproduction, age of
consent, reproductive health, reproductive rights, safe sex, birth control and sexual abstinence. Sex
education that covers all of these aspects is known as comprehensive sex education[1]. Common
avenues for sex education are parents or caregivers, formal school programs, and public health
campaigns.
Traditionally, adolescents in many cultures were not given any information on sexual matters, with
the discussion of these issues being considered taboo. Such instruction, as was given, was
traditionally left to a child's parents, and often this was put off until just before a child's marriage.
The progressive education movement of the late 19th century, however, led to the introduction of
"social hygiene" in North American school curricula and the advent of school-based sex education.
[2]
Despite early inroads of school-based sex education, most of the information on sexual matters in
the mid-20th century was obtained informally from friends and the media, and much of this
information was deficient or of dubious value, especially during the period following puberty, when
curiosity about sexual matters was the most acute. This deficiency was heightened by the increasing
incidence of teenage pregnancies, particularly in Western countries after the 1960s. As part of each
country's efforts to reduce such pregnancies, programs of sex education were introduced, initially
over strong opposition from parent and religious groups.
The outbreak of AIDS has given a new sense of urgency to sex education. In
many African countries, where AIDS is at epidemic levels (see HIV/AIDS in Africa), sex education is
seen by most scientists as a vital public health strategy.[3] Some international organizations such
as Planned Parenthood consider that broad sex education programs have global benefits, such as
controlling the risk of overpopulation and the advancement of women's rights (see also reproductive
rights). The use of mass media campaigns has sometimes resulted in high levels of "awareness"
coupled with essentially superficial knowledge of HIV transmission.[4]
According to SIECUS, the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States, 93% of
adults they surveyed support sexuality education in high school and 84% support it in junior high
school.[5] In fact, 88% of parents of junior high school students and 80% of parents of secondary
school students believe that sex education in school makes it easier for them to talk to their
adolescents about sex.[6] Also, 92% of adolescents report that they want both to talk to their parents
about sex and to have comprehensive in-school sex education.[7] Furthermore, a "study, conducted
by Mathematica Policy Research on behalf of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,
found that abstinence-only-until-marriage programs are ineffective.
In India, there are many programs promoting sex education including information on AIDS in schools
as well public education and advertising. AIDS clinics however are not universally available. [33]
India has a strong prevention program which goes hand in hand with care, support and treatment.
We have been able to contain the epidemic with a prevalence of just 0.31%. We have also brought
about a decline of 50% in new infections annually.
— Shri Gulam Nabi Azad, Hon’ble Minister of Health and Family Welfare, 2011. [34]
There is however no structured sex education program as yet which has been endorsed by the
government. UnTaboo a company dedicated to sex education however has age appropriate
programs on sex and safety education which are conducted in schools and in small private groups
outside of schools.
