Sexuality education - What is its impact? - Policy brief No. 2 (English)

The Federal Centre for Health Education (BZgA) in Germany, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA Regional Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia), and the World Health Organization (WHO Regional Office for Europe) jointly develop a series of policy briefs on sexuality education. The first two issues have now been released and answer the questions:

• What is sexuality education?
• And what is the impact of sexuality education?

The policy briefs are targeted to politicians and other decision makers, primarily in Europe and Central Asia, and provide them with short and comprehensible information on different issues regarding sexuality education. Being an advocacy tool, the policy briefs promote good quality sexuality education as an effective life-course intervention which supports children and young people in protecting their sexual health and general well-being.

Policy brief No. 2 summarizes the scientific evidence regarding the impact of sexuality education on the sexual health and well-being of children and young people. In this regard, it explores public health related indicators but also so called “soft outcomes” of sexuality education, such as the development of a positive attitude towards sexuality as well as skills in communication, decision-making and critical thinking.