“Education is the premise of progress, in every society, in every family” - Kofi Annan, Secretary General of the United Nations from 1997 to 2006.

The power of education in transforming lives and supporting progress in countries and communities also supports in shaping the future, eliminating poverty, fostering peace, achieving gender equality and addressing pressing global challenges. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development adopted in September 2015, recognizes education as pivotal to achieving all 17 of its goals, with Sustainable Development Goal 4 specifically aiming to ensure inclusive, equitable, and quality education for all by 2030.

On 24 January, the world marks International Day of Education. In 2024, the theme, 'Learning for lasting Peace,' is a vital reminder of the importance of education and how it contributes to nation-building. Education is not merely a privilege, nor it is a mark of literacy rate; it is a fundamental human right, a public service, and a shared responsibility in our collective global efforts to create a progressive future for all.

A study by UNESCO in 2017 found that nearly 60 million people could escape poverty if all adults had just two more years of schooling. If all adults completed secondary education, 420 million could be lifted out of poverty, reducing the total number of poor people by more than half globally and by almost two-thirds in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.

The stark reality, however, is that numerous challenges persist despite its transformative potential; especially in relation to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and gender-based violence (GBV), particularly affecting women and girls. Approximately, 244 million children globally remain out of school, with 617 million unable to read or do basic math (UN, 2024). Alarming disparities persist, where the right to education is being violated for millions, hindering progress towards gender equality and perpetuating cycles of poverty undermining the efforts to build resilient and just societies. In Sri Lanka, like many other places, there is a need for urgent action to bridge these gaps.

Achieving SRHR and Gender Equality by harnessing the power of CSE!

At the heart of UNFPA's mission lies the acknowledgment that education transforms lives. It is a catalyst for gender equality, a tool to eliminate child marriage and adolescent pregnancies, a force to empower girls and youth to reach their fullest potential to responsibly exercise their freedoms and rights.

In this context, Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) becomes an indispensable component of quality education, especially for adolescents and youth. It equips them with the knowledge and skills needed to make informed decisions about their sexual and reproductive health, fostering positive attitudes and behaviors. UNFPA Sri Lanka, under its policy brief series titled, 'Population Matters,' recognizes the significance of CSE in addressing the challenges faced by young people during adolescence.

Many young people approach adulthood faced with conflicting, negative and confusing messages about sexuality that are often exacerbated by embarrassment and silence from adults, including parents and teachers. These social norms may perpetuate harmful conditions, such as gender inequality and insensitivity in relation to sexual relationships, family planning and modern contraceptive use.

CSE aims to equip children and young people with knowledge and life skills that encourage positive attitudes, values and behaviors to develop respectful choices and informed decisions about sexual relationships; consider how their choices affect their own wellbeing and that of others; and understand and ensure the protection of their rights throughout their lives. UNFPA, in partnership with the government and partners, remains committed to ensuring that every girl, boy and young person achieves their fullest potential.

In Sri Lanka, the Youth Health Survey (2012) conducted by the Ministry of Health, UNFPA and UNICEF revealed gaps in providing sexual and reproductive health information in schools, underlining the importance of effective CSE. The survey highlighted that only 59% of students received reproductive health education in school.

A key finding of the survey was that 78% of the students identified sexual and reproductive health as a teaching priority in the school curriculum. Moreover, only one third considered current teaching as adequate for satisfactory knowledge about the physical changes in adolescence, pregnancy and the reproductive systems. The survey further found that over 50% of teachers had not participated in any sexual and health training programs and even the trained teachers admitted to lacking sufficient knowledge to discuss sexual and reproductive health issues with students.

Furthermore, according to the latest statistics published by the Family Health Bureau (2022), 3.9% of pregnancies in Sri Lanka are teenage pregnancies. These findings clearly reflect the need for and importance of ensuring CSE is effectively delivered to adolescents and young people in and out of school.

Why is education central to UNFPA?

To bridge these gaps and actively promote better education opportunities on SRHR, UNFPA collaborates with the Government of Sri Lanka to review and implement CSE, ensuring age-appropriate content with a focus on gender sensitivity and cultural relevance. In terms of strengthening the delivery of CSE, efforts are underway to develop interactive, non-judgmental lesson plans, and enhance the capacity of educational instructors.

To deliver CSE in Sri Lanka, UNFPA Sri Lanka engages with stakeholders to strengthen the system for delivery of CSE in secondary schools, strengthen the Ministry of Education School Health and Nutrition Unit, mobilize and support staff to conduct special sessions on sexual and reproductive health at school level, support the government to strengthen infrastructure for sustained CSE delivery through teacher training colleges, engaging and sensitizing parents among other aspects.

It is vital we understand that education is not merely a piece of paper, but an avenue that  provides essential skills, boosts employment opportunities, and protects individuals from socio-economic vulnerabilities, especially girls, by way of empowering them to overcome gender-based barriers and reach their fullest potential.

Many governments across the world are showing an increased interest in teaching and preparing the youth for their sexual lives. In 1994, Sri Lanka, along with 179 countries, endorsed the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) Programme of Action recognizing the fundamental right of young people to access sexual and reproductive health information and services, and the right of countries to design sexual and reproductive health policies and programmes in keeping with their laws, values, and cultures. At ICPD25 in 2019, the Government of Sri Lanka, based on technical guidance by UNFPA, committed to further strengthening sexual and reproductive health education in schools, and adolescent and youth friendly health services.

By providing adequate, gender-sensitive and comprehensive sexuality education, we are empowering youth to make more responsible and autonomous decisions about their sexual health and reproductive health and rights.

In delivering a world where everyone's right to education is upheld, governments should implement their commitments to promote and protect the rights of girls by enacting and implementing targeted and coordinated policies and programmes that concretely ensures gender parity in access to school and completion of secondary education followed by vocational training and learning of their preference; provide comprehensive sexuality education; promote gender sensitivity; reduce adolescent pregnancy; with a view to empower youth to achieve their fullest potential and actively contribute to the overall economy.

In the face of escalating climate change, democratic erosion, persistent inequalities, growing discrimination, hate speech, violence, and conflict on a global scale, education emerges as a powerful tool to both address and prevent these challenges in the future.

On this International Day of Education, let us unite in prioritizing education as a public service, a collective responsibility and a basic human right. Investing in education, especially for adolescent girls, is an investment for a progressive tomorrow.

As we strive for 'Learning for lasting Peace,' let our commitment to education be the cornerstone of a more peaceful, just, and sustainable world, leaving no one behind in the pursuit of knowledge, equality, and empowerment.