Attachments
Sexuality education status
Comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) is vital, as it supports children and young people in their sexual and overall development. According to a number of UN agencies, including UNFPA, the main aim of CSE is “to equip children and young people with knowledge, skills, attitudes and values that will empower them to: realize their health, well-being and dignity; develop respectful social and sexual relationships; consider how their choices affect their own well-being and that of others; and understand and ensure the protection of their rights throughout their lives”.
There is substantial evidence demonstrating the effectiveness of CSE in increasing knowledge of and improving attitudes related to sexual and reproductive health (SRH), promoting safe sexual practices, and reducing sexual and gender-based violence. Good-quality sexuality education has a positive impact on attitudes and values, including gender-equitable attitudes and respect for sexual diversity.² This overview presents a summary of the results of an assessment of the status of sexuality education in four countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia: Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, the Republic of Moldova and Tajikistan. The assessment was initiated in 2021 and was conducted by the German Federal Centre for Health Education (BZgA), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the World Health Organization (WHO). The data were collected using the standardized Sexuality Education Review and Assessment Tool (SERAT)³ via desk reviews of relevant policies, curricula and national data, questionnaires, stakeholder interviews (e.g. with teachers, representatives of technical working groups and ministries of education, young people) and discussions to validate the findings. The data collection took place between December 2021 and July 2022.
The findings demonstrate that all four countries teach sexuality education, which is supported by adequate legal and policy frameworks, and integrate it into their school curricula. The comprehensiveness of the curriculum, teacher training and learning methods differ across the four countries. More details on the methodology and results are provided in the country reports.
The following paragraphs summarize the findings from the SERAT sections on (1) legal and policy context, (2) objectives and principles, (3) integration into the official curriculum, (4) sexuality education content (ages 5–18+), (5) teaching and learning approaches and environment, (6) teacher training and (7) monitoring and evaluation, and at the end there is a summary overview of the findings.