Global Call for Unrestricted, Science-Based Sex Education on International Day for Childhood Sexuality Education
Geneva, November 18, 2024 – As the world prepares to observe United Nations Universal Children’s Day on November 20, advocates are also commemorating the tenth anniversary of International SexEd Day. This day champions comprehensive sexuality education from early childhood, aligning with the recommendations of global experts, including original UNESCO’s international technical guidance.
“Comprehensive sexuality education that emphasizes self-respect, consent, and personal well-being is not only vital for ensuring children's safety but is also a fundamental human right,” declared Clemence Linard, M.A.Ed, sexologist and spokesperson for SexEd Day. “Evidence-based guidelines from international studies support this necessity, yet progress is often hindered by religious and political pressures that undermine scientific findings.”
Linard highlights the urgent need for secular education policies, recalling the 2009 incident when UNESCO institution faced intense backlash from religious organizations after editing its first sex education guidelines. Consequently, they censored information regarding self-pleasuring, commonly referred to as masturbation, for the five-year-old age group. Despite recent updates to these guidelines, UNESCO has not reinstated this vital content, in stark contrast to the WHO European Office, which actively supports science-based sexuality education.
“It is imperative that institutions like UNESCO maintain impartiality and uphold scientific integrity,” Linard emphasized. “Religious meetings involving UNESCO’s leadership raise troubling questions about neutrality, particularly in relation to sex education.” Linard warns that these obstacles to open, fact-based education perpetuate misinformation, inflicting significant harm on society.
“The stigmas surrounding sexuality education are closely linked to the ongoing spread of HIV/AIDS and the emotional challenges that adolescents and adults face,” she stated. “It is time to dismantle the censorship surrounding these topics and allow scientifically informed principles to guide the education of our youth.”
International SexEd Day, founded in 2015 by the Raelian Movement, serves as an ongoing global initiative dedicated to raising awareness, demanding policy changes, and calling for UNESCO’s reinstatement of its original, unedited sex education guidelines.
For further information, please contact [your contact information].
rael.org/sexedday
“Comprehensive sexuality education that emphasizes self-respect, consent, and personal well-being is not only vital for ensuring children's safety but is also a fundamental human right,” declared Clemence Linard, M.A.Ed, sexologist and spokesperson for SexEd Day. “Evidence-based guidelines from international studies support this necessity, yet progress is often hindered by religious and political pressures that undermine scientific findings.”
Linard highlights the urgent need for secular education policies, recalling the 2009 incident when UNESCO institution faced intense backlash from religious organizations after editing its first sex education guidelines. Consequently, they censored information regarding self-pleasuring, commonly referred to as masturbation, for the five-year-old age group. Despite recent updates to these guidelines, UNESCO has not reinstated this vital content, in stark contrast to the WHO European Office, which actively supports science-based sexuality education.
“It is imperative that institutions like UNESCO maintain impartiality and uphold scientific integrity,” Linard emphasized. “Religious meetings involving UNESCO’s leadership raise troubling questions about neutrality, particularly in relation to sex education.” Linard warns that these obstacles to open, fact-based education perpetuate misinformation, inflicting significant harm on society.
“The stigmas surrounding sexuality education are closely linked to the ongoing spread of HIV/AIDS and the emotional challenges that adolescents and adults face,” she stated. “It is time to dismantle the censorship surrounding these topics and allow scientifically informed principles to guide the education of our youth.”
International SexEd Day, founded in 2015 by the Raelian Movement, serves as an ongoing global initiative dedicated to raising awareness, demanding policy changes, and calling for UNESCO’s reinstatement of its original, unedited sex education guidelines.
For further information, please contact [your contact information].
rael.org/sexedday
 | Thursday 07 November 2024 |  |  |