Comprehensive Sexuality Education Programme Standards
A suite of materials outlining Plan International's comprehensive sexuality education programme standards. These standards comprise a comprehensive, human ri…
Comprehensive sexuality education
Plan International believes that all children, adolescents and young people – without discrimination – are entitled to comprehensive sexuality education.
We won’t stop until we are all equal!
Delivering and supporting positive and inclusive comprehensive sexuality education is a core component of our sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) work.
What is comprehensive sexuality education (CSE)?
Comprehensive sexuality education is the process of teaching and learning about the cognitive, emotional, physical, and social aspects of sexuality. It enables children and young people to gain knowledge, and develop the skills they need to make conscious, healthy and respectful choices about relationships and sexuality.
CSE should be accessible both in school and out-of-school, supported by educators, parents, communities and policy makers. CSE should be provided in a way that is non-judgemental, non-discriminatory, scientifically accurate, accessible, inclusive, rights-based, promotes gender equality and is adapted to the age of the child, adolescent or young person.
What topics does CSE cover?
CSE covers topics such as:
- Sex
- Sexuality
- Relationships
- Consent
- Violence and staying safe
- The human body and development
- Contraceptive choices
- Abortion care.
Why is CSE important?
CSE equips children and adolescents with the skills, knowledge, and confidence needed to make informed sexual and reproductive health decisions. It helps to build healthy relationships and protects against health risks, violence, and unintended pregnancies.
Research shows that CSE delays the age of first sexual experience, improves safer sexual practices, and reduces sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and unintended pregnancies. It also addresses gender inequality, challenges harmful norms, and reduces gender-based violence. Additionally, CSE is cost-effective in preventing negative health outcomes.
Who needs comprehensive sexuality education?
CSE is essential for children, adolescents, and young people in all their diversity. CSE should begin in the preschool years, supported by parents, caregivers, traditional and religious leaders, and other gatekeepers to enhance their understanding of the topics covered and increase their support. To achieve this, it is crucial to work with parents and caregivers to build their confidence and skills in discussing sexuality with their children from an early age.
Plan International is pleasure positive!
Plan International advocates for integrating pleasure into CSE to promote a rounded and positive view of sexual health. This approach moves beyond traditional methods that often focus on risks and fear, and embraces discussions on desire, consent, and self-confidence.
By addressing sexuality in an inclusive, and empowering way, Plan aims to transform norms around sexual health, fostering confidence and informed decision-making among young people.
How is Plan International supporting CSE across the globe?
We support CSE globally through our evidence-based CSE Programme and Influencing Model, which Plan has developed over several years.
This model uses research evidence to provide CSE teaching strategies that are proven to work and cover the cognitive, emotional, physical, and social aspects of sexuality. It teaches a positive approach to sexuality, promoting healthy sexual development and empowering children and young people to navigate and transform gender-unequal environments and is a comprehensive sex education curriculum.
Key materials developed as part of the CSE model include:
- 14 CSE standards to guide educators and ensure a comprehensive, human rights-based, gender-transformative, inclusive, and sex-positive approach.
- CSE Topics Table that covers 7 key areas of CSE education: relationships, values, rights and sexuality, gender, violence and safety, the human body and development, sexuality and sexual behaviour, and sexual and reproductive health. Guided by WHO and UNESCO, it provides clear, accurate information to empower learners with the knowledge and skills for meaningful sexual and reproductive lives.
- CSE activity cards for children and adolescents.
- Peer-based intervention guides for adolescents and young people to learn and support each other.
- Resources to engage parents and caregivers in CSE.
- Strategies for SRHR in contexts where norms or government policies limit SRHR for young women and girls.
- CSE Accountability Tool (which has also been endorsed by 13 partners) which provides support to governments to ensure they implement their CSE commitments. It is also helpful for advocates who need to hold people accountability for delivering on commitments.
Building bridges
Engaging parents and caregivers in CSE
This 10-session training curriculum gives parents tools to discuss and communicate with their young adolescent children about relationships and sexuality and increase their knowledge of SRHR.
Plan is a member of the Global Partnership Forum on CSE (co-founded by UNFPA and UNESCO). This forum is a collective of 75 members from different fields who come together to support the progress, development and evidence for quality CSE.
We engage in local to global influencing work to advance CSE at the national, regional and global level. Through our influencing efforts, we have secured stronger language, commitment and investment in CSE within national, regional and global policies, including the UN and other multi-national organisations.
Plan International implements CSE in multiple countries, tailoring programmes to meet the needs of different cultural and social contexts, ensuring impactful programmes that are sensitive and adapted to the situation in which they are being hosted.
Click on the tabs below to find out about some of our recent CSE projects:
- West Africa
- Ethiopia, Laos, Mozambique, Myanmar, and Uganda
- Bolivia, Philippines & Zimbabwe
- Nepal
- Rwanda
- Bangladesh and Jordan
- Latin America and the Caribbean
West Africa
“My Health, My Rights” – meaningful youth engagement in CSE
This project is being implemented across 6 West African countries (Benin, Burkina-Faso, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Sierra Leone and Togo), and focuses on using peer education to deliver CSE.
It adapts nationally approved curricula and materials to engage adolescents, especially the most vulnerable, such as married adolescents and adolescents with disabilities, in family and community settings. The project reinforces that CSE should be present not only in educational spaces but also in family and community settings, with a positive approach to sexuality.
Ethiopia, Laos, Mozambique, Myanmar, and Uganda
My Body, My Future
This gender-transformative programme is funded by the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs in Ethiopia, Laos, Mozambique, Myanmar, and Uganda.
It works to ensure that children, adolescents, and youth in all their diversity have control over their bodies and futures in a healthy, safe, and supportive environment. It seeks to transform gendered power relations and tackle root causes of gender inequality and exclusion at the individual, family, community, and state level.
With a multi-component approach, it includes working in partnership with vibrant civil society partners, scaling up comprehensive sexuality education, improving access to climate resilient, quality, inclusive, age-and-gender responsive sexual and reproductive health services, and increasing societal and political acceptance of children, adolescent and youth sexuality.
“Before [My Body, My Future], I knew practically nothing about my rights. I saw a lot of child marriages and teenage pregnancies around me, but I had no idea I could do something about it. I can now defend my rights and those of others,” shares avid football player and loudest spokesperson for girls’ rights in her village, Eunice, from Mozambique (pictured).
Bolivia, Philippines & Zimbabwe
Where Pleasures Bloom – youth-led research
Plan International, in partnership with The Pleasure Project, conducted a youth-led innovation project in Bolivia, Philippines, and Zimbabwe to better understand sexual wellbeing, pleasure and agency among young people.
The project underscores the need for pleasure-based discussions within CSE across diverse cultural contexts.
Nepal
Fathers group sessions
Plan is working with fathers in Nepal to improve adolescent sexual and reproductive health. By offering sessions on topics such as gender norms and positive masculinity, the initiative aims to create open discussions within families and fostering a supportive environment for adolescents’ SRHR.
A total of 3972 fathers actively participated in fathers group sessions in SRHR in Bardiya.
“I was shocked to find out that sanitary pads are used during menstrual periods. Then I was even more curious to learn about menstruation so I continued going to the [fathers’ group] meetings,” shares 64-year-old Tilakram (pictured). Now, he happily discusses family planning, use of contraceptives, and other SRHR issues with his family and the wider community.
Rwanda
Learner centred approach to CSE in school
Plan International Rwanda uses a learner-centred approach in schools to empower students and engage teachers.
The Teacher Learning Academy supports CSE educators with best practices and youth clubs promote peer-to-peer learning. Feedback systems and interactive activities enhance learning and decision-making skills.
Bangladesh and Jordan
Collaborating to develop a national CSE curriculum
In Jordan, Plan collaborated in the formation of the National Community of Practice whose role is to integrate CSE in the school curriculum.
In Bangladesh, Plan worked closely with the government to develop the Gender Equity Movement in Schools module and implement the initiative through partners in 1,004 schools and madrasas
<strong>Latin America and the Caribbean</strong>
Strengthening Education, Wellbeing, and Gender Equality in Latin America and the Caribbean
This project, led by UNESCO and Plan International, aimed to enhance education access for children and adolescents in Latin America and the Caribbean, focusing on gender equality, CSE, and preventing gender-based violence.
It addressed the impacts of COVID-19 and forced migration by supporting policy development, building educator capacity, and promoting inclusive, safe learning spaces. Key outcomes included resources for teachers, strategies for preventing adolescent pregnancy, hybrid learning methods, and digital content for sexuality education. An observatory was also created to highlight the educational challenges faced by girls in the region.
CSE – the statistics
- Plan International reports that that 69% participants in CSE projects in 2024 feel able to make informed decisions about their SRHR, including 72% of girls and young women, 67% of boys and young men.
- In Loreto, Peru, adolescent pregnancy rates dropped significantly from 47.5% to 25.9% over 5 years due to targeted interventions.
- Evidence shows that CSE contributes to delayed sexual activity, increased contraceptive use, and reduced risk behaviours, outperforming abstinence-only approaches.
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