Reflecting growing international recognition of the inter-relationship between education and health, UNESCO is releasing today a new strategy on Education for Health and Well-Being.
This new strategy articulates the organisation’s commitment to ensuring all young people have access to comprehensive sexuality education, healthy learning environments, and to the information needed to protect themselves from HIV and develop healthy relationships.
It also recognises that a more comprehensive approach to school health, and coordination across sectors, is needed.
UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Education, Qian Tang, Ph. D., said the strategy is aligned with, and will contribute to, the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly those relating to education, health and well-being, and gender equality, as well as fully aligned with the new UNAIDS 2016-2021 Strategy.
“This new strategy builds on UNESCO’s strong commitment, as a UNAIDS Cosponsor, to ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030. We will support countries to strengthen the role of national education sectors in promoting HIV prevention with young people, and including awareness of HIV testing and treatment,” declared Mr Tang.
“All children and young people should benefit from good quality, comprehensive sexuality education and be able to learn in a safe and health-promoting learning environment.”
As part of the new strategy, UNESCO also commits to stepping up efforts to eliminate school violence and bullying, including gender-based violence, to prevent discrimination, and to support schools to promote overall health and well-being.
The strategy can be downloaded here.
Link: UNESCO's actions on health education
Source: UNESCO website