SEXUALITY EDUCATION

Presented by
Blessed Bukhosi Gumbi
Provincial Communications & Marketing Officer
REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH
Is a state of complete physical, mental,
and social well-being and not merely the
absence of disease or infirmity, in all
matters related to the reproductive
system and to its functions and processes.
It implies that people are able to have a
safe satisfying sex life and have the
capability to reproduce and freedom to
decide if when and how often to do so.
 SEXUALITY
Is an important part of who a person is and
what he or she will become .
Is the total expression of who we are as
human beings
It includes all the feelings, thoughts and
behaviours or being female or male, being
attractive, being in love, as well as being in
relationships that include sexual intimacy
and physical sexual activity.
Sexuality begins at birth and ends at death
 FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE
SEXUALITY
Parents
Friends
Other siblings
Media
Magazines
Music
General society
SEXUALITY AT DIFFERENT AGE
GROUPS
Sexuality in infants and toddlers
Sexuality in children ages 3 to 7
Sexuality in preadolescent children
ages 8 to 12
Sexuality in adolescents 13 to 19
Sexuality in infants and toddlers
Children are sexual even before birth
Males can have erections while still in the uterus,
and some boys are born with an erection
Infants touch and rub their genitals because it
provides pleasure
Boys and girls experience orgasms from
masturbation, but boys do not ejaculate until
puberty
By about age two, children know their sex. They
are aware of differences between genitals and
how boys and girls urinate.
Sexuality in children ages 3 to 7 years
Preschoolers are interested in everything about
their world, including sexuality
They may practice urinating in different positions
They are very affectionate and enjoy hugging
other children and adults
They begin to be more social and may imitate
adult social and sexual behaviours, e.g. holding
hands or kissing. Many young children play
“father/mother” roles during this stage, looking
at each other’s genitals. This is normal curiosity.
Sexuality in children ages 3 to 7 years
By age five or six most children become more modest
and private about clothing and bathing
Children of this age are aware of marriage or “living
together”, based on their family experience. They
may role play being married or having a partner while
they “play house”.
Most young children talk about marrying or living with
a person they love when they get older
School-age children may play sexual games with
friends of their same sex, touching each other’s
genitals or masturbating together
Most sex play at this age happens because of curiosity
Sexuality in preadolescent children
(ages 8 to 12)
Puberty is the time when the body matures
It begins between the ages of 9 and 12 for most
children
Girls begin to grow breast buds and pubic hair as
early as 9 or 10
Boys grow pubic hair and experience penis and
testicle development between 10 and 11
Children become more self-conscious about their
bodies at this age and often feel uncomfortable
undressing in front of others, even a same-sex
parent.
 Sexuality in preadolescent
children (ages 8 to 12)
Masturbation continues and increases during these
years.
Preadolescent boys and girls do not usually have
much sexual experience, but they often have many
questions
They have usually heard about intercourse,
petting, oral and anal sex, homosexuality, rape
and incest, and they want to know more about
these things.
The idea of actually having intercourse, however, is
unpleasant for most preadolescent girls and boys
Sexuality in preadolescent
children (ages 8 to 12)
Boys and girls tend to play with friends of
the same sex and are likely to explore
sexually with them
Looking at or caressing each other is
common among boys and girls. Such
same-sex behaviour is usually unrelated to
a child’s sexual orientation
By age 12 or 13, some young adolescents
will pair off and begin dating.
 Sexuality in adolescents
(ages 13 to 19)
Once children reach puberty, their interest
in genital sex increases and continues
through adolescence
There is no way to predict how a
particular teenager will act sexually
As a group, most adolescents explore
relationships with one another, fall in and
out of “love” and participate in sexual
behaviours before the age of 20.
Adolescents Living with HIV
and Sex
There are two broad categories of adolescents
living with HIV which can be considered by their
source of infection / mode of transmission - those
infected with HIV during pregnancy, labour and
delivery and breastfeeding (perinatal) and those
infected since birth through sexual abuse and
consensual sex (vertical)
Children who acquire HIV perinatally COMMONLY
(not necessarily) experience delays in physical
development which has a bearing on their sexual
maturation.
Adolescents Living with HIV and Sex
Regardless of the mode of transmission, people living
with HIV do not lose their desire to have sex and bear
children
Service providers need to be able to respond to the
sexual and reproductive health needs of adolescents
living with HIV in a non-judgemental manner
Peer support groups can help adolescents to access
practical and appropriate information on living with HIV
and provide them with the support that they need to
love positively
Health service providers have a role in helping to start
such groups, and in linking adolescent patients with
existing peer support groups.
 Sexuality Education
Sexuality Education is defined as an age-
appropriate, culturally relevant approach to
teaching about sex and relationships by
providing scientifically accurate, realistic,
non-judgmental information. Sexuality
education provides opportunities to explore
one’s own values and attitudes and to build
decision-making, communication and risk
reduction skills about many aspects of
sexuality (UNESCO, 2009).
 Abstinence Only Education
Is a class that teaches students to refrain from
sex until marriage, excluding information about
how to have safe sex, contraceptive uses, the
emotional impact, and the benefits of getting
tested.
Comprehensive Sexuality Education
A class that teaches abstinence as the first
choice, but includes information about
contraceptive usage, emotional risks, the
consequences, and how to have safe sex.
 Comprehensive Sexuality
Education
Abstinence, AND
Prevention of pregnancy and sexually
transmitted infections (STIs)
And more…..
Media Healthy
Relationships
Anatom
Culture & Sexual
yDecision-
Society violence,
making
Puberty dating
Abortio
violence
Self-Esteem Interpersonal
n
communication
Comprehensive Sexuality
Education
“Medically accurate”
• Based on scientific evidence, not ideology
“Age-appropriate”

“Culturally competent”

From many sources, including

parents, family, peers, school,
and community
 Why Comprehensive Sexuality
Education is the best option
It pushes abstinence first
Gives teenagers options
Teaches them in depth about sex and the
risks
It is shown to be safer
Does not encourage sexual activity, but
instead educates teenagers about it
Teaches teenagers what to do should
they choose to become sexually active
Goal of Comprehensive Sexuality Education
The primary goal of sexuality
education is that children and
young people become
equipped with the knowledge,
skills and values to make
responsible choices about their
sexual and social relationships
Sexuality education programmes
usually have several mutually
reinforcing objectives:
• to increase knowledge and
understanding;
• to explain and clarify feelings,
values and attitudes;
• to develop or strengthen skills;
and
• to promote and sustain risk-
reducing behaviour
 Age-Appropriate
Based on typical cognitive,
emotional, behavioral, physical,
and sexual development for a
particular age group
– It is important to enhance a child's growth
in all developmental areas, including laying
the foundations for a child's sexual growth
– Adults have a responsibility to help children
understand and accept their evolving
sexuality
 Age-Appropriate
Based on typical cognitive,
emotional, behavioral, physical,
and sexual development for a
particular age group
– It is important to enhance a child's growth
in all developmental areas, including laying
the foundations for a child's sexual growth
– Adults have a responsibility to help children
understand and accept their evolving
sexuality
Examples of Age-Appropriate Sexuality
Education – Ages 0-4 years

Socialisation by parents begins during

pregnancy– choice of clothing, choice
of colours (pink or blue), toys (Society
and culture)
I am a boy, I am a girl (Human
development)
What do boys play with? What do Girls
play with (Society and culture)
What does touch mean? A kiss/hug
versus a spanking (Sexual behaviour)
 Examples of Age-Appropriate
Sexuality Education – Ages 15-18
Reproductive functioning is different
than sexual functioning (Human
Development)
Dating relationships can be enhanced
by honesty and openness
(Relationships)
Partners may need to assertively
communicate their needs and limits
(Personal Skills)
 Examples of Age-Appropriate
Sexuality Education – Ages 15-18
Sexual intercourse is not a way to
achieve adulthood (Sexual Behavior)
Individuals can help fight STIs by
serving as an accurate source of
information, by being a responsible role
model, and by encouraging others to
protect themselves (Sexual Health)
Gender role stereotypes can be harmful
to both women and men (Society and
Culture)
 Fact-based and Medically
Accurate
Based on truth
Supported by the weight of
research conducted in
compliance with accepted
scientific methods
– Published in peer-reviewed journals
– Recognized by leading professional
organizations and agencies with
relevant experience
 Why is Comprehensive Sexuality
Education Important?
Risky sexual behavior among teens leads
to negative health outcomes
– Teen pregnancy rates are on the rise
– A quarter of new HIV infections are among
young people
Need to dispel myths and misconceptions
Need to develop healthy attitudes about
sexuality
 Does Comprehensive Sexuality
Education Work?
Comprehensive sexuality education
programs have been associated with
positive behavior change among youth
– Postponement or delay of sexual initiation
– Reduction in frequency of sexual intercourse
– Reduction in the number of sexual partner/
increase in monogamy
– Increase in the use of effective methods of
contraception, including condoms
 Does Comprehensive Sexuality
Education Work?
Comprehensive sexuality education
programs have been associated with
positive health outcomes among
youth
– Reduced rates of teen pregnancy
– Reduced rates of STIs
– Reduced rates of HIV
 What does the evidence say?

Sexuality education programmes do not

increase sexual activity
Some sexuality/HIV education programmes:
• Delay initiation of sexual intercourse
• Reduce number of sexual partners
• Increase use of condoms/contraception
• Reduce unprotected sex
• Reduce pregnancy and STI rates
Some do none of these

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 Further outcomes of CSE
The outcomes of CSE:
• Reduced misinformation
• Increased correct knowledge
• Nurtured positive values and attitudes
• Increased skills to make and act on
informed choices
• Increased communication with parents
or other trusted adults
HIV prevention strengthened
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 CSE Key Concept Areas
1. Relationships
2. Values, Attitudes and
Skills
3. Culture, Society and
Human Rights
4. Human Development
5. Sexual Behaviour
6. Sexual and
Reproductive Health

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 Age-Appropriate
Based on typical cognitive,
emotional, behavioral, physical, and
sexual development for a particular
age group
– It is important to enhance a child's growth in
all developmental areas, including laying the
foundations for a child's sexual growth
– Adults have a responsibility to help children
understand and accept their evolving
sexuality
 Age-appropriate
Age levels
– Level 1: 5 to 8 years (lower
primary)
– Level 2: 9 to 12 years (upper
primary)
– Level 3: 12 to 15 years (lower
secondary)
– Level 4: 15 to 18 years (upper
secondary)
Flexibility on content of each level
Overlaps to accommodate broad age
ranges and older learners at Level 4

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 Good practice
 Implement programmes that include at
least 12 or more sessions
 Include sequential sessions over several
years
 Select capable and motivated educators to
implement the curriculum
 Provide quality training to educators
 Provide on-going management, supervision
and oversight
 Guidance also includes characteristics of
good programmes
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 Concerns about CSE
Sexuality education CSE is built upon the principle of age-
may be appropriateness reflected in the grouping of
good for young people, learning objectives.
but
not for young children.
Teachers may be Well-trained, supported and motivated teachers
willing to play a key role in the delivery of good quality
teach sexuality sexuality education. Clear sectoral and school
education policies and curricula help to support teachers
but are uncomfortable, in this regard.
lacking in skills or
afraid to
do so.
Sexuality education Comprehensive Sexuality Education supports a
should rights-based approach in which values such as
promote values. respect, acceptance, tolerance, equality,
empathy and reciprocity are inextricably linked
to universally agreed human rights. It is not
possible to divorce considerations of values
from discussions of sexuality.
THANK YOU
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