The debate

Abstinence only programmes

Abstinence only approaches usually have a strong moral basis, promoting specific religious values and typically teaching abstinence from all sexual activity outside marriage. This often involves censorship of information on condom use as well as on other forms of contraception. Proponents argue that:

• sex education encourages early sexual activity
• education on contraception encourages sexual activity and makes teenage pregnancy more likely
• condoms and other kinds of contraceptives frequently fail.
  

Sexual health and HIV education programmes

Proponents of a broad-based sexual health promotion approach focus on providing accurate information on the risks of sexual activity and advising young people about ways of protecting against pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), often using peer education and participatory teaching methods. Key arguments are as follows:

• Whether or not adults find it morally acceptable, millions of young people throughout the world are sexually active; they therefore need access to information and health services to help them make responsible decisions about their sexual behaviour.
• There is no evidence to support the claim that sex education increases sexual activity.
• There is evidence to suggest that young people who receive sex education begin sexual activity later and have fewer partners.