Out of school comprehensive sexuality education in the Pacific: a mapping document

Case Studies & Research
IPPF
UNFPA
2021
56 p.

While many Pacific countries have taken great strides to provide sexuality education to young people in school, there is a lack of knowledge about the education that is provided to young people outside of school and access to quality, rights-based and gender sensitive comprehensive sexuality education is not universal across the Pacific. IPPF with support from UNFPA, conducted a mapping of sexuality education and related programmes delivered by various groups across Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. A survey with organisations delivering sexuality education was conducted to understand what is currently being delivered outside of the school setting. Additionally, through online surveys, a review of existing resources and focus groups conducted with young people across the Pacific, it was possible to identify the content and programming gaps in delivering comprehensive sexuality education. It was found that while a range of organisations are delivering some form of sexuality education to young people outside of school settings, the curricula delivered are not equipping young people with adequate knowledge and skills to inform their decision making and cope with everyday challenges related to sexual and reproductive health. Organisations reported significant gaps in their curricula while young people reported receiving incomplete information or missing certain topics entirely. It is crucial that young people are empowered to make informed decisions about their lives, by providing them with the necessary skills, knowledge and confidence.

Languages
Record created by
IIEP