| United States | | | | In Scotland, the main sex education |
| Almost 60% of adults think that sexually | | | | programme is Healthy Respect which |
| active teenagers should have easy access | | | | focuses not only on the biological |
| to contraception.[2] A 1997 study found | | | | aspects of reproduction but also on |
| that about 48% of high school students | | | | relationships and emotions. Education |
| are sexually active. | | | | about contraception and sexually |
| Some advocates, including President | | | | transmitted diseases are included in the |
| George W. Bush, have successfully worked | | | | programme as a way of encouraging good |
| toward the introduction of | | | | sexual health. In response to a refusal |
| "abstinence-only" curricula. Under such | | | | by Catholic schools to commit to the |
| instruction, teens are told that they | | | | programme, however, a seperate sex |
| should be sexually abstinent until | | | | education programme has been developed |
| marriage, and information about | | | | for use in those schools. Funded by the |
| contraception is not provided. Opponents | | | | Scottish Executive, the programme Call |
| argue this approach denies teens needed, | | | | to Love focuses on encouraging children |
| factual information and leads to | | | | to delay sex until marriage, and does |
| unwanted pregnancies, abortions, and | | | | not cover contraception, and as such is |
| propagation of STDs. | | | | a form of abstinence only sex education. |
| Some curricula are advocated on the | | | | In France, sex education has been part |
| grounds that they are intended to reduce | | | | of school curricula since 1973. Schools |
| sexual disease or out-of-wedlock or | | | | are expected to provide 30 to 40 hours |
| teenage pregnancy, but no | | | | of sex education, and pass out condoms, |
| abstinence-only program has ever been | | | | to students in grades eight and nine. In |
| shown to reduce teen sexual activity, | | | | January 2000, the French government |
| pregnancy, or STDs. A curriculum | | | | launched an information campaign on |
| ostensibly aimed at reducing pregnancy | | | | contraception with TV and radio spots |
| among high school students, which | | | | and the distribution of five million |
| advocates the use of condoms, could | | | | leaflets on contraception to high school |
| potentially lower the pregnancy rate. | | | | students. |
| Proponents of this view argue that | | | | Subsidised by the Dutch government, the |
| sexual behaviour after puberty is a | | | | “Lang leve de liefde” (“Long Live |
| given, and it is therefore crucial to | | | | Love”) package, developed in the late |
| provide information about the risks and | | | | 1980s, aims to give teenagers the skills |
| how they can be minimized. They hold | | | | to take their own decisions regarding |
| that conventional or conservative | | | | health and sexuality. Nearly all |
| moralizing will only alienate students | | | | secondary schools provide sex education |
| and thus weaken the message. | | | | as part of biology classes and over half |
| In turn, opponents of comprehensive | | | | of primary schools discuss sexuality and |
| sexuality education object that | | | | contraception. The curriculum focuses on |
| curricula which fail to teach moral | | | | biological aspects of reproduction as |
| behaviour actually serve to prevent | | | | well as on values, attitudes, |
| adolescents from making informed | | | | communication and negotiation skills. |
| decisions; they maintain that curricula | | | | The media has encouraged open dialogue |
| should include the claim that | | | | and the health-care system guarantees |
| conventional (or conservative) morality | | | | confidentiality and a non-judgmental |
| is "healthy and constructive", and that | | | | approach. The Netherlands has one of the |
| value-free knowledge of the body may | | | | lowest teenage pregnancy rates in the |
| lead to immoral, unhealthy and harmful | | | | world, and the Dutch approach is often |
| practices. | | | | seen as a model for other countries. [4] |
| In December of 2004 Henry A. Waxman, a | | | | Asia |
| United States Congressman from | | | | The state of sex education programs in |
| California, released a report that | | | | Asia is at various stages of |
| provides several examples of inaccurate | | | | development. Indonesia, Mongolia, South |
| information being included in federally | | | | Korea and Sri Lanka have a systematic |
| funded abstinence-only sex education | | | | policy framework for teaching about sex |
| programs. This report bolstered the | | | | within schools. Malaysia, the |
| claims of those Americans arguing that | | | | Philippines and Thailand have assessed |
| abstinence-only programs deprive | | | | adolescent reproductive health needs |
| teenagers of critical information. | | | | with a view to developing |
| The August 29/September 5, 2005, issue | | | | adolescent-specific training, messages |
| of The Nation reported that money from | | | | and materials. India has programs |
| the Federal Government used to create | | | | specifically aimed at female |
| high school abstinence clubs was being | | | | adolescents. Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal |
| used to train "young abstinence | | | | and Pakistan have no coordinated sex |
| advocates", who were being encouraged to | | | | education programs. |
| engage in politics and support issues | | | | The International Planned Parenthood |
| like overturning abortion. The article | | | | Federation and the BBC World Service ran |
| states that although the program's | | | | a 12-part series known as Sexwise, which |
| official language has been secularized, | | | | discussed sex education, family life |
| a list of its grant recipients "reads | | | | education, contraception and parenting. |
| like a who's who list of the religious | | | | It was first launched in South Asia and |
| right." | | | | then extended worldwide. |
| Europe | | | | Africa |
| In the United Kingdom, sex education is | | | | Sex education in Africa has focused on |
| compulsory in secondary school, but | | | | stemming the growing AIDS epidemic. Most |
| parents have the right to withdraw their | | | | governments in the region have |
| children from lessons. The curriculum | | | | established AIDS education programs in |
| focuses on the reproductive system, | | | | partnership with the World Health |
| fetal development, and the physical and | | | | Organization and international NGOs. |
| emotional changes of adolescence, while | | | | These programmes commonly teach the |
| information about contraception and safe | | | | 'ABC' of HIV prevention: a combination |
| sex is discretionary. Britain has the | | | | of abstinence (A), fidelity to your |
| highest teenage pregnancy rate in Europe | | | | partner (Be faithful) and condom use |
| and sex education is a heated issue in | | | | (C). (See Abstinence, be faithful, use a |
| government and media reports. In a 2000 | | | | condom.) The efforts of these |
| study by the University of Brighton, | | | | educational campaigns appear now to be |
| many 14 to 15 year olds reported | | | | bearing fruit. In Uganda, condom use has |
| disappointment with the content of sex | | | | increased, youths are delaying the age |
| education lessons and felt that lack of | | | | at which sexual intercourse first |
| confidentiality prevents teenagers from | | | | occurs, and overall rates of HIV |
| asking teachers about contraception. | | | | infection have been going down. |
| [3]. | | | | |