A comprehensive method to educate youth about relationships, sexuality and reproductive health is Comprehensive Sex Education (CSE). CSE is essential to promote children’s and adolescents’ health and well-being. Countries all around the world have been interested in making sure that students have access to sexuality education for a long time. Many names know this education in different contexts, and it frequently responds to urgent social and health issues, including early and unplanned pregnancies or high HIV rates. According to IPPF 2017, CSE is defined by a positive approach to sexuality, which acknowledges that sexual sensations, pleasure and desire are vital aspects of youth sexuality. It encompasses various factors, including gender, security, intimacy, friendship, pleasure, attraction, and physical, emotional, social, and cultural components. Comprehensive sexuality education supports principles like gender equality, respect for human dignity, knowledge of sexual and reproductive rights, as well as the absence of prejudice, exclusion, and sexual assault.
The following literature review highlights the essential elements of CSE and stresses the significance of a comprehensive approach to sexual education.
i) Gender
In some cases, gender is confused with sex. While sex is based on a person’s biological features, gender refers to the roles, actions, expectations, pursuits, and cultural ideas that come with being either a male or a female. (World Health Organization, 2023)
In Comprehensive Sexuality Education, gender is crucial because it shapes attitudes, actions, and social norms around sexual health. Encouraging a comprehensive and equitable approach to sexual education requires including an in-depth knowledge of gender within CSE.
By promoting gender equality and dispelling damaging gender stereotypes such as perceiving women as men’s sexual property and failing to investigate sexual assault against women, thinking that since victims of sexual assault did not dress or behave in a “modest” manner, they consented to sexual actions, CSE encourages young men and boys to value both their own and other people’s bodies. It promotes free talk about gender-related cultural norms and expectations, empowering them to dispel negative stereotypes and advance gender equality.
It also encourages boys and young men to express their feelings, form wholesome relationships, and respect boundaries—all of which are great characteristics of being a man. Hence, calmly addressing the notions of feminity and masculinity promotes healthy masculinity.
ii) Sexual and Reproductive health and HIV
By giving young people accurate knowledge about their bodies, sexual health, and contraception, CSE empowers them to protect their relationships and make educated decisions about their sexual behaviour. Information provided by CSE on sexual and reproductive health and HIV includes puberty, the use of contraceptives and HIV testing and counselling, among others.
In sexual and reproductive health talks, it is almost impossible to miss the concept of puberty. A young person’s sexual and reproductive organs mature during puberty. The body begins producing the hormones that initiate sexual development and growth before any physical changes occur. The typical age range for puberty changes is 8 to 16 years old, which can begin earlier or later for individuals. (Breehl and Caban, 2022) Age-appropriate information about the mental and physical changes that occur throughout puberty is provided by CSE, which enables individuals to understand their bodies better and navigate this transformative stage of life. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (2018) and the World Health Organization (2018), including information on puberty in sexual education helps people understand how their bodies change, maintain emotional health, and get ready for appropriate sexual behaviour in the future.
In as much as abstinence is encouraged for unmarried young men and boys, the importance of using condoms and contraception to encourage safe and responsible sexual conduct is frequently emphasized in comprehensive sexual education programs. Condoms are a very efficient way to stop the spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). World Health Organization (2019). Furthermore, contraceptives such as birth control pills or implants are essential in preventing unwanted births. According to a study done by Castro et al. (2018) on sexual and reproductive health outcomes associated with CSE, the findings demonstrate that exposure to CSE issues relating to the SRH component significantly increased the likelihood of better sexual-related health outcomes.
Among the sexually transmitted diseases include HIV, Syphilis, gonorrhea, etc. One significant obstacle to the worldwide HIV response is the late diagnosis of HIV infections. (Aniley et al., 2016). According to UNAIDS 2022, HIV infection rates are particularly high in two important demographics: men and adolescents. Late detection of an infection compromises the well-being and occasionally results in fatalities of those who only get help when they’re in serious health. It provides HIV with adequate moments to share with others. The uneven uptake of HIV testing might be attributed to several factors, i.e., young people are discouraged by the existence of punitive laws, fear of shame, and worries about privacy and confidentiality, especially to their counterparts.
Antiretroviral therapy (ART), a medication for people infected with HIV, is a key aspect of managing HIV. Young people living with HIV/AIDs need to embrace it early enough, without shame or fear of stigmatization, since it lowers the virus viral load, fighting infections and improving the quality of one’s life. (National Institutes of Health, 2020). In addition to that, HIV management is only for the infected. HIV testing is imperative for early detection and management, if there be, of the HIV. The crucial function of HIV testing in the identification and management of this dangerous virus was highlighted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2022. By incorporating testing and counselling into sexual education, young men and boys are given the ability to take charge of their own health and well-being.
In conclusion, sensitizing young men and boys regarding HIV, STDs, ART, HIV counselling, testing, and encouraging body respect in sexual education, hence promoting comprehensive sexual health. These elements help with educated decision-making, prevention, and overall well-being.
Sexual rights and sexual citizenship
Sexual rights include the freedom to make educated decisions regarding one’s sexual orientation. Comprehensive sexual education (CSE) strives to deliver accurate and age-appropriate sexual and reproductive health information. Although national policies vary, many countries recognize the importance of sexual education. They emphasize the delivery of comprehensive sexuality education, emphasizing the significance of promoting sexual rights, gender equality and healthy relationships (Mijatović, 2020). An example is the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Growth and Well-being (goal 3), and sexual and reproductive health, which aims to ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health services.
CSE advocates active participation in policy advocacy for sexual rights, diversity, and comprehensive sexual education. Societal taboos and stigmas frequently hamper sexual rights. Comprehensive sexual education overcomes these barriers by encouraging open dialogue and challenging societal conventions that obstruct the enjoyment of sexual rights. Youth participation in advocacy is especially encouraged, recognizing the value of their voices in creating legislation affecting their sexual and reproductive health.
Sexual citizenship incorporates the legal, social, and political components of individuals’ sexual rights and identities. It entails acknowledging and protecting legal rights such as the right to marry, the absence of discrimination, and access to sexual and reproductive healthcare. Beyond legal frameworks, sexual citizenship promotes cultural acceptance by cultivating an inclusive atmosphere that values varied sexual identities. Reproductive rights, which include the right to make reproductive health decisions, are an essential component of sexual citizenship. However, issues such as discrimination, legal inequity, and societal stigma continue.
In conclusion, comprehensive sexual education guarantees that sexual rights and citizenship are understood and exercised. It fills information gaps, navigates national policies, breaks down social barriers, improves access to resources, fosters negotiation skills, and stimulates active advocacy engagement. CSE contributes to empowering individuals to make informed choices and exercise their sexual rights within the larger context of society by encouraging a holistic perspective.
iv) Pleasure
A comprehensive sexual education program addresses all facets of human sexuality, including pleasure. According to Tolman and McClelland (2011), pleasure should be a fundamental component in creating a positive view of sexual experiences. Sex education emphasizes that sex is more than just reproduction, and it should create positive views toward one’s body and relationships.
CSE emphasizes that sex is more than just sexual intercourse. Sexual experiences should emphasize emotional connections, hence promoting healthy relationships. By so doing, young men and boys gain a of their sexuality, encouraging respect for various forms of intimacy and cultivating healthy attitudes about communication and consent. This approach not only conforms to changing societal norms but also contributes to the development of responsible and well-informed individuals capable of navigating their sexual lives with confidence and respect for themselves and others.
Various respectable health organizations and academic institutions accept sexuality as a natural and vital component of human life. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), sexual well-being is a critical component of overall health and quality of life. Recognizing and appreciating one’s sexuality involves a wide range of issues, including sexual orientation, gender identity, and the various ways people feel and express their sexuality. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), recognizing and accepting one’s sexuality promotes mental and emotional well-being. Comprehensive sexual education programs seek to normalize these parts of human existence by decreasing stigma and creating an inclusive and supportive attitude toward various sexual expressions.
In addition to that, CSE teaches young men and boys about lust, love and consent. Love and lust are complex emotions. Hence, recognizing the emotional aspects of sexual experiences promotes a more comprehensive knowledge of pleasure. Educating young men and boys about the importance of consent supports healthy relationships and provides mutually pleasant and consensual enjoyment.
v) Violence
The important topics of gender-based violence (GBV) and sexual gender-based violence (SGBV) are covered in comprehensive sex education. This entails a thorough examination of relationship norms, placing a strong emphasis on consent, limits, and respect for one another. The instruction explores people’s rights to be free from compulsion and violence and emphasizes pertinent laws and legal safeguards (Perrin et al., 2019). The many manifestations of GBV and SGBV, such as coercion, sexual assault, harassment, and physical, emotional, and verbal abuse, are explained to youth. The KDHS 2022 study clarifies the widespread problem of gender-based violence (GBV) and its extensive ramifications. Globally acknowledged as an infringement on fundamental human rights, gender-based violence (GBV) includes any act that harms people—regardless of gender—physically, sexually, economically, or psychologically. The concept encompasses violence committed by current and past spouses and partners as well as threats, coercion, or arbitrary deprivation of liberty.
The curriculum informs people about their legal protections and their right to live in a world free from violence. To ensure that young people are informed of the legal protections available to them, it addresses national and municipal laws addressing GBV and SGBV. Comprehensive sex education also offers information about available resources for support, including hotlines, counselling services, and shelters. It highlights that people are not alone in their circumstances and gives them the confidence to ask for assistance (World Health Organization, 2023a).
Young people are taught the value of getting assistance if they encounter or see SGBV or GBV. This contains details on contacting community resources, reporting events, and obtaining support services. In addition, the curriculum challenges damaging stereotypes that could encourage violence by addressing community norms and misunderstandings about gender and power. Comprehensive sex education seeks to change societal norms toward polite and nonviolent conduct by encouraging candid conversations.
A vital part of thorough sex education on violence is prevention techniques. To prevent GBV and SGBV, this entails fostering awareness, education, and community involvement. Consent, communication techniques, and healthy relationships are all covered in the curriculum. Self-defence skills are presented to protect oneself, highlighting that self-defence is a right rather than a duty.
To debunk myths and stereotypes, comprehensive sex education explores the intricate dynamics between abuse victims and perpetrators. It sheds light on the elements that lead to abusive conduct, stressing the significance of resolving underlying issues like power disparities and cultural norms. Comprehending the dynamics enables youth to identify indicators of abuse, promoting empathy and well-informed decision-making (Schneider and Hirsch, 2018).
People who receive this education are more equipped to refer victims of GBV and SGBV. This contains details about the counselling, medical care, legal aid, and support services. Giving survivors precise instructions on how to use these resources guarantees that they get the support they require and are informed about the actions they can take to find justice and healing.
In-depth sex education tackles and attempts to end the cycle of violence. This entails interventions that offer trauma-informed assistance, counselling, and rehabilitation services to stop victims from turning into offenders. The program seeks to break the cycle of abuse by addressing the underlying causes of violence and promoting an environment of respect and empathy (Gautam-Adhikary, 2011).
In conclusion, thorough sex education on violence tackles the complex issues of SGBV and GBV. It challenges negative societal norms and provides people with information about their rights, legal safeguards, and available resources to support them. By encouraging self-defence, prevention, and an awareness of the mechanics of abuse, education helps to create a more respectful and safer environment for everyone.
vi) Diversity
Comprehensive sex education stresses the need to know and appreciate diversity in numerous dimensions, such as faith, culture, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, ability, and disability. This entails creating an inclusive workplace in which people are encouraged to recognize and enjoy the diversity of their backgrounds. Diversity education strives to break down preconceptions, encourage cultural sensitivity, and create a space where everyone feels valued and appreciated, regardless of their background or features (Drexel University School of Education, 2020).
Addressing faith, culture, and ethnicity in comprehensive sex education entails developing a sophisticated understanding of how these factors influence individuals’ sexual beliefs, values, and practices. It promotes open discourse by promoting community diversity and emphasizing the necessity of respecting other cultural norms and religious beliefs. The goal is to promote an inclusive approach that recognizes and supports the diversity of sexual experiences and manifestations in different cultural and religious contexts.
Their socioeconomic level heavily influences individuals’ access to resources, opportunities, and education. Comprehensive sex education investigates the effects of socioeconomic factors on sexual health, relationships, and decision-making. It strives to close knowledge gaps and enable people from all socioeconomic situations to make educated decisions about their sexual and reproductive health (Atkins et al., 2012).
A focus on ability and disability is part of diversity education, making sure that people with a range of physical and cognitive capacities receive inclusive and accessible knowledge. It highlights the significance of autonomy, permission, and polite communication for all people, regardless of ability, and it fosters awareness of the particular difficulties that people with disabilities encounter in the area of sexuality and relationships.
The diversity of HIV status and sexual orientation is addressed in comprehensive sex education, acknowledging that people may have varying experiences depending on these circumstances. Accurate information regarding prevention, testing, and treatment is provided, fostering an atmosphere free from discrimination and stigma. Respect for people of all sexual orientations is encouraged, and the necessity of inclusive and non-discriminatory attitudes toward persons living with HIV is emphasized.
Raising awareness of discrimination based on various aspects of identity, including race, gender, sexual orientation, and HIV status, is a key component of comprehensive sex education. It assists people in identifying discriminatory actions, words, and viewpoints while highlighting the negative impacts on mental health, self-worth, and general well-being. It is essential to comprehend the effects of discrimination in order to promote empathy and establish a supportive atmosphere (Logie et al., 2011).
An important component of comprehensive sex education is giving people the tools they need to deal with discrimination. This entails encouraging self-advocacy, assertiveness, and resilience. To promote a more tolerant and inclusive society, education promotes the creation of coping mechanisms, asking for help from reliable people or groups, and aggressively opposing discriminatory actions.
In conclusion, the goal of comprehensive sex education on diversity is to foster an environment that is respectful inclusive, and values the differences among people. Acknowledging and managing discrimination in all its manifestations is also covered, along with the knowledge and ability to negotiate the complexity of faith, culture, ethnicity, socioeconomic background, ability, disability, and HIV status.
vii) Relationships
Comprehensive sex education for young males focuses on negotiating different facets of relationships, including family, friends, sexual relationships, and romantic entanglements. Recognizing that these relationships are dynamic and ever-changing, the instruction covers a wide range of topics such as emotions, intimacy, rights, duties, power dynamics, and the capacity to distinguish between healthy, unhealthy, and coercive relationships.
The importance of family in shaping attitudes and actions is recognized in comprehensive sex education. By encouraging open conversation with parents and siblings, young men are helped to manage the intricacies of family relationships. Understanding the changing dynamics of a family, such as the fluctuating balance of power and varying emotional landscapes, is stressed. The instruction also educates young men to identify and respect their family’s rights and duties, establishing a healthy and supportive atmosphere (ResearchGate, n.d.).
In the context of friendships, comprehensive sex education explores the multifaceted nature of these connections. Young males are taught to negotiate the emotional side of friendships while also knowing that emotions change over time. The program addresses peer pressure by giving methods to reject harmful influences that may impact friendship ties. Recognizing healthy friendships marked by mutual respect, trust, and constructive communication becomes a focus point, helping young men to create and sustain supportive social networks.
Comprehensive sex education prepares young men for healthy sexual interactions by providing them with the knowledge and skills they need. The Kenya Demographic and Health Survey (2022) report in explaining the importance prevention of HIV infection, mentions its relevance, especially to young people who may face increased risks due to factors such as shorter sexual relationships with multiple partners or engaging in other risky behaviours. Understanding the emotional elements of sexual relationships, acknowledging and respecting the rights and obligations of both parties and valuing clear communication and consent are all part of this. The importance of closeness, permission, and mutual agreement in any sexual relationship are all discussed.
This education also delves into the complexities of emotions, intimacy, and the changing nature of commitment in love relationships. Young males are educated to recognize and navigate power dynamics in romantic relationships, emphasizing the need for consensus decision-making and setting healthy limits. The curriculum teaches young men how to recognize the indicators of good and harmful love relationships and develop positive and respectful partnerships.
Comprehensive sex education questions cultural assumptions and norms about sex and love. Young males are encouraged to evaluate and question prevalent views that may contribute to misconceptions. The instruction highlights the necessity of distinguishing cultural expectations from personal beliefs and cultivating a mindset that values respect, communication, and emotional connection over societal conventions that may perpetuate negative stereotypes (UNESCO, 2023).
In summary, comprehensive sex education for young men gives an all-encompassing foundation for navigating the complex landscape of partnerships. The education aims to empower young men to build and sustain healthy, consensual, and respectful relationships by addressing family dynamics, friendships, sexual relationships, and romantic connections, fostering emotional intelligence and interpersonal skills essential for their overall well-being.
Harmful practices -Alcohol and drug abuse
Alcohol and drug misuse, which are major global public health concerns, have severe socioeconomic consequences, altering cognitive, physiological, and behavioural aspects, as well as generating serious social and emotional challenges. According to the World Drug Report (UNODC, 2018), the youth bear a disproportionate share of the burden of these concerns on a global scale. Youth commonly experiment with substances such as alcohol, cigarettes, and cannabis, adding to a complex tangle of issues.
Comprehensive sex education takes a multidimensional approach, including not only biological aspects of sexuality but also important themes like alcohol and drug abuse. Recognizing the impact of drug misuse on sexual decision-making and behaviour, comprehensive sex education focuses on raising awareness. It discusses the potential repercussions of alcohol and drug misuse, highlighting the significance of risk-aversion tactics, strong communication skills, and an understanding of the health implications. Furthermore, it encourages people to seek out support services for those struggling with substance misuse difficulties, creating a sympathetic and nonjudgmental environment. Comprehensive sex education for young men entails addressing the nuances of sexual problems and obligations, such as those related to alcohol and drug misuse, as well as destructive practices such as child, early, and forced marriage.
When it comes to alcohol and drug misuse, education for young men focuses on raising knowledge about the potential implications of substance abuse on decision-making and behaviour during sexual interactions. It seeks to provide students with risk-aversion tactics, communication skills, and an understanding of the health consequences of alcohol and drug use (Das et al., 2019). The curriculum encourages frank discussions in order to create an environment in which young men feel comfortable accessing support services while coping with substance misuse concerns.
Aside from substance misuse, comprehensive sex education, as previously mentioned, also addresses the pernicious practice of child, early, and forced marriage. This education begins with clearly describing these activities and encouraging understanding their indications and repercussions. Comprehensive sex education, which focuses on the legal framework, informs persons about national and international laws that prohibit underage marriage, emphasizing the importance of legal safeguards. Gender equality is a primary focus, emphasizing the negative impact of child marriage on young girls’ education, health, and overall development. Instilling a solid knowledge of gender equality in young males is part of the focus. Comprehensive sex education encourages young men to take an active role in opposing and changing harmful socio-cultural norms by emphasizing the negative impact of such practices on the overall development of young girls. This includes instilling a sense of responsibility to avoid early marriage pressures and promoting respectful relationships based on equality and consent. The curriculum dives into the socio-cultural elements contributing to such practices, encouraging debate about confronting and modifying harmful conventions.
The education also dives into the health and educational consequences of early marriage, emphasizing the negative effects on physical and mental well-being and emphasizing the need to promote girls’ educational endeavours. Empowering young men entails equipping them with the knowledge and skills they need to be champions for gender equality, make educated decisions, and reject societal constraints.
In this setting, community participation is critical in encouraging young men to join in debates and activities that challenge prevalent views that contribute to harmful habits. The goal is to create an inclusive, supportive, and empowering educational environment for young men by addressing the specific obstacles they confront within the context of comprehensive sex education.
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