Comprehensive Sexuality Education – The Indian Perspective

In India, young people make up more than half of the collective human population. These young people live in diverse political, socio-cultural, and economic contexts. Despite the diversity, young people in the region share many significant common barriers to enjoying their sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). These include poverty, migration, religious fundamentalism and extremism, climate change, access to education and information services, employment opportunities, and healthcare; all these barriers often intersect with harmful cultural traditions, conservative socio-cultural norms and laws. Comprehensive sexuality education programs are based on the idea that young people have the right to be informed about their sexuality and to make responsible decisions about their sexual and reproductive health. Despite demonstrating the ability to help youth delay the onset of sexual activity, reduce frequency and number of sexual partners, and increase condom and contraceptive use, such programs continue to come under attack by supporters of abstinence-only education This brief aims to provide an overview on the status of the implementation of CSE within India. It further analyses the current laws and policies on the status of CSE while presenting the gaps, challenges and barriers on its implementation. Furthermore, the brief also posits recommendations for the improvement of the existing policies, which would enable progressive action by governments, policy-makers, duty-bearers, non-governmental bodies, and other stakeholders.