UNESCO, UNAIDS, UNFPA and the government of Cote d’Ivoire hosted a session on the Revised International Technical Guidance on Sexuality Education (ITGSE). This session took place on the side lines of the 2017 International Conference on AIDS and Sexuality Transmitted Infection’s in Africa (ICASA).
The session was moderated by Dr Catherine Sozi, UNAIDS Director of the Regional Support Team for Eastern and Southern Africa (RTESA) and graced by Honourable Kandia Camara – Cote d’Ivoire Minister of National Education & Technical Education, Honourable Mokhele Moletsane – Lesotho Minister of Education & Training, Honourable Michael Lopuke Lotyam – South Sudan Undersecretary of General Education and Instruction and Ms Lorence Kabasele – African Youth and Adolescents Networking on Population and Development (AfriYAN) President for Eastern and Southern Africa.
During the session, UNESCO underscored the importance of comprehensive sexuality education, and acknowledged the Guidance as a means to address and dispel myths and misconceptions around comprehensive sexuality education (CSE). It was noted that the ITGSE incorporates new evidence on the benefits of CSE for health and education outcomes of children and young people. Further, the revised version speaks to issues of a changing world such as ICTs and social media as avenues through which CSE can be taught to young people and adolescents; and shows how CSE is not only limited to the formal school setting but also extends to non-formal settings which involve community engagement from the parents to the cultural and religious leaders.