1. A CASE OF AGE-APPROPRIATE
COMPREHENSIVE SEXUALITY EDUCATION
(AACSE)
NOPE BIENNUAL PEER EDUCATION CONFERENCE
19th June 2014
Betty Adera
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2. Presentation outline
• Young people and HIV
• A case of AACSE
• Traditional Sexuality Education
• Myths and conceptions around Sexuality
Education
• Policy frameworks and other opportunities
• Recommendations
• Conclusion
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3. Background of Young People and HIV
• High percentage of HIV infection among the
young people is a global concern
• Almost 80% of new infections among young
people occur in Sub-Saharan Africa (UNAIDS,
2013)
• New HIV Infections in general population
dropped by 40% between 2007 and 2012
• While new HIV infections are dropping, 15-24
year olds make up 30% of infections
• Low levels of knowledge on HIV and AIDS 3

4. Background of Young People and HIV cont..
• Declining parental guidance
• Age of sexual debut declining… as low as 12
years
• 60% of adolescents are sexually active by 18
years (KAIS, 2007)
• Low condom use at first sexual act is alarming
- 26:28% (M vs F) (KAIS, 2007)
• High rate of alcohol and substance abuse
• The conventional design of many health care
services are not youth friendly 4

5. Age Appropriate Comprehensive Sexuality
Education (AACSE)
• Age appropriate instruction on issues relating
to human sexuality including human:
– Sexual anatomy, reproduction and activity
– Reproductive health, rights and
responsibilities
– Emotional relations
• Information, skills and knowledge to prepare
young people for their future sexual lives
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6. Age Appropriate Comprehensive Sexuality
Education (AACSE) cont…
• Evidence shows that CSE that is age
appropriate, gender-sensitive and life skills
based, provides young people with knowledge,
skills and efficacy for informed decisions about
their sexuality and lifestyle
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7. Rationale
With effective AACSE, young people are better able
to:
• Abstain from or delay the debut of sexual
relations
• Reduce frequency of unprotected sexual activity
and partners
• Avoid unwanted pregnancies and unsafe
abortions
• Improve SRH and protect themselves against STIs
& HIV
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8. Assumptions
• Sexuality is a fundamental aspect of human life:
it has physical, psychological, spiritual, social,
economic, political and cultural dimensions
• Sexuality cannot be understood without
reference to gender
• Diversity is a fundamental characteristic of
sexuality. The rules that govern sexual behavior
differ widely across and within cultures
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9. Assumptions continued…
• Certain behaviors are seen as acceptable and
desirable while others are considered
unacceptable;
• This does not mean that these behaviors do
not occur, or that they should be excluded from
discussion within the context of sexuality
education
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10. Gaps
• Many young people approach adulthood with
conflicting and confusing messages about
sexuality and gender
• Parents/adults often embarrassed, keep silent
and disapprove open discussion of sexual
matters when it is most needed
• Teachers struggle to be comfortable delivering
Life Skills Education… how will they manage
AACSE?
• School counselors uncomfortable to address 10

11. Gaps continued..
• Access to comprehensive sexuality and SRH
information limited
• Limited availability and access to youth friendly
health services
• Social media being the main source of sexuality
and sexual health information
• Life Skills Education not fully taught in all
schools as teachers
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12. Yet Traditionally
• Sexuality education has always existed in many
communities and was part and parcel of the
socialization process
• There were functional systems and mechanisms
that ensured boys and girls were equipped with
correct information
• Age appropriate and started at about 5 years;
boys and girls taught separately
• Sexuality education was provided by different
people although main responsibility rested with
parents
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13. Myths and Concerns around CSE
• Sexuality education
– Leads to early sex
– Deprives children of their ‘innocence’
– Is against our culture or religion
• It is the role of parents and the extended family
to educate our young people about sexuality
• Parents and religious leaders will object to
sexuality education being taught in schools
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14. Myths and Concerns around CSE cont..
• Teachers may be willing to teach sexuality
education but are uncomfortable, lacking in
skills or afraid to do so
• Sexuality education is already covered in other
subjects
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15. Opportunities
• Free primary education
– Keep young people in school for as long a
possible
– Information on HIV and AIDS and Life Skills
– Delay sexual debut
• MoEST HIV policy
– Age appropriate HIV and SRH messaging for
learners
– Capacity building of teachers to be responsive
to the needs of learners 15

16. Opportunities cont..
• Ministerial Commitment on CSE and
adolescents and young people’s SRHR in ESA
• Beyond Zero campaign
– First Lady efforts towards HIV control and
improvement of Maternal and Child Health
– Focuses on PMTCT, keeping mother alive and
healthy babies and children
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17. Recommendations
• Employ a multi-sectoral approach to
comprehensive sexuality information for young
people.
• Recognise and sustainably address the unique
needs of YLHIV
• Strengthen coordination for consistent
messages on CSE and documentation and
dissemination of best practices
• Advocate for incorporation of CSE in the
education review policies/bills at county and 17

18. Recommendations
• Address school related gender-based violence
proactively
• Develop mechanisms and systems for involving
men/fathers in HIV prevention and testing
campaigns for adolescent
• Institutionalize robust information systems that
disaggregates data for youth services
• Consider CSE within Ministry of Education’s role
in delivering quality education and not in
isolation 18

19. Conclusions
• The statistics paint a grim picture of the state
of health of our young people but they can be
reversed and are within reach
• This can only be achieved through concerted
efforts as a team. No one person or Ministry
can go it alone
• We all need to play our respective roles and
responsibilities and together we will get there
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20. ASANTENI
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