The United Nations in the Philippines is advocating for comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) amidst misinformation and resistance from some groups and politicians. The UN highlights the importance of accurate information about sexual and reproductive health for young people to protect them from vulnerabilities and risks.
I spent three years as a communication officer for the United Nations Development Programme in the Philippines, with travel across the Asia-Pacific region. I could have remained there longer, but I accepted a position as head of news research at TV5, training numerous cohorts of reporters on news writing and production. My experience at the UN, both then and now, highlights its steadfast commitment to freedom of expression and age-appropriate information for young people.
Therefore, I wasn't surprised when the UN called for a counteroffensive against the misinformation swirling around comprehensive sexuality education (CSE). They also clarified the roles of various UN agencies that support the curriculum-based process of teaching and learning accurate and age-appropriate information for young people.The UN stands behind the current efforts by the government and its partners to tackle the challenges facing the country's development work. These efforts include campaigns against adolescent pregnancy, maternal mortality, HIV infection, and various forms of gender-based violence. This is the Philippines, which holds the unfortunate distinction of registering the highest number of Pornhub users globally. We are also the second largest source worldwide of sexually exploited children online. Adding to this grim picture are our soaring rates of child sexual abuse, rape, and incest, coupled with one of the highest adolescent birth rates globally. And yet, those in power are resistant to the implementation of age-appropriate sex education for young people.Among those clinging to outdated views are former Supreme Court Justice Meilou Sereno, who has inexplicably become an expert on Philippine culture, and our senators, who performed a convenient u-turn and withdrew their support for the bill, seemingly because it's election time. However, research demonstrates that many young people transition from childhood to adulthood with inadequate or incomplete information about sexual and reproductive health. This leaves them vulnerable to coercion, sexually transmitted infections, and unintended pregnancies. This is precisely why the UN supports the global rollout of comprehensive sexuality education, tailored to be culturally appropriate. Jose Roi Avena, the deputy representative of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in the Philippines, stated that CSE addresses a complex intersection between health, education, prevention, and social development, grounded in research, data, and analysis of social behaviors.In recent weeks, misinformation regarding CSE and the roles of various United Nations agencies has spread in the Philippines. The UN in the Philippines supports the work of several stakeholders, including the Department of Education, enlightened legislators, the Council for the Welfare of Children, and the Child Rights Network, in clarifying what CSE is—and what it is not. Avena added: 'The UN encourages all Filipinos to verify the information they encounter...' The UN provides accurate scientific knowledge and relevant lessons learned and best practices, which have been adapted by the Department of Education to be culturally sensitive and age-appropriate. However, in this peculiar bubble we call the Philippines, several groups, lawmakers, and President Marcos Jr. have dismissed the proposed CSE program outlined in a Senate bill aimed at preventing adolescent pregnancies.Education Secretary Juan Miguel Angara swiftly dispelled rumors and reassured everyone that no 'inappropriate concepts' related to the CSE program would be taught in public schools. The purported 'woke absurdities' that the President disapproves of in the bill are not present in the bill's text, nor even in the International Technical Guidance on Sexuality Education, Avena clarified. 'We have read the bill, and we have not seen any mention of these at all... It's not in the bill.' Various groups—who haven't even read the bill—have opposed the inclusion of masturbation for very young children and the 'exploration' of different genders at a young age. But if we're being honest, all these topics are easily accessible online, which a majority of our young people—even children—can access, especially if their computers lack firewalls or their parents aren't present to guide them. And if not online, young people acquire information about sex from their peers, who are themselves largely 'educated' online about these issues. We all know that not everything found online is accurate or even verifiable. This underscores the crucial need for comprehensive sex education in our schools. International standards are intended to guide countries on the best available scientific evidence in diverse contexts. However, ultimately, the decision of how to adopt these standards rests with each country. The importance of contextualization cannot be overstated,' said Avena. We can't simply allow social media and young people's peers to be their sole educators
COMPREHENSIVE SEXUALITY EDUCATION UN PHILIPPINES MISINFORMATION YOUTH HEALTH EDUCATION SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
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