Authors :
Wijethunga W. T. D.; Abhayasundere P.; Alles S. M. D. P. S.
Volume/Issue :
Volume 11 - 2026, Issue 1 - January
Google Scholar :
https://tinyurl.com/5h9drt5k
Scribd :
https://tinyurl.com/nfs9zdjw
DOI :
https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/26jan311
Note : A published paper may take 4-5 working days from the publication date to appear in PlumX Metrics, Semantic Scholar, and ResearchGate.
Abstract :
Sexuality education remains a socially sensitive and contested subject in many societies, particularly within
culturally conservative contexts such as Sri Lanka. It is true that sexuality education is recognized as an essential part of all
countries around the world as one of the aspects of adolescents’ health and human rights in the global context. Despite
recognition by the global community as an important area that should be considered by all countries as a matter of need for
global adolescents’ health, rights, and development, the implementation of sexuality education is also hampered by various
conditions that need to be considered by society. Through this paper, sexuality education will be considered as an important
area to discuss within the framework of sociology as an important discipline to know society. In particular, sexuality
education will also be considered to know the history, development, and practices within different societies around the world,
including the development of education within Sri Lanka as an important society within the global context. Through the
appropriate methodology that will be followed through peer-reviewed literature to conclude the approach that will be
considered within the paper, important areas that need to be considered as part of the development of sexuality education
will also be identified. Some areas that need to be considered through peer-reviewed literature that is relevant to the study
will also be identified, such as issues that need to be avoided within society due to cultural concerns relating to sexuality
education, religious content to be considered as part of society, inadequacies in the preparation of teachers to handle such
education within society, opposition from society to the education that should be provided to children at all levels within
society, and various disparities at all levels within society that need to be considered by society. Despite all sexuality education
being provided within the education curriculum of Sri Lanka since the 1970s as an important area that should be avoided
by children within society, evidence also confirms that adolescents’ awareness within society concerning health that is related
to sexuality is considered to be inadequate at all levels within society.
Keywords :
Sexuality Education; Comprehensive Sexuality Education; Sociological Perspective; Education System.
References :
- Adamczyk, A., & Hayes, B. E. (2012). Religion and sexual behaviors: Understanding the influence of Islamic cultures and religious affiliation for explaining sex outside of marriage. American Sociological Review, 77(5), 723–746. https://doi.org/10.1177/0003122412458672
- Connecticut State Department of Education. (2022). Guidelines for sexual health education. CSDE.
- Das, R., & Rao, P. (2019). Religion, culture, and sexuality in South Asia. Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 5(2), 45–58.
- European Expert Group on Sexuality Education. (2010). Standards for sexuality education in Europe: A framework for policy makers, educational and health authorities and specialists. WHO Regional Office for Europe.
- Hewageegana, N. S., Priyadarshani, P. S., & Jayawardena, P. (2014). Knowledge and attitudes on sexual and reproductive health among school-going adolescents in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka Journal of Child Health, 43(2), 78–84.
- Jabari, S. (2022). Youth population trends and development challenges. International Journal of Youth Studies, 7(1), 1–15.
- King, M., & Shaw Ojeda, M. (2017). Comprehensive sexuality education and social inequality. Sex Education, 17(5), 497–512. https://doi.org/10.1080/14681811.2017.1305905
- Mijatović, D. (2020). Comprehensive sexuality education protects children’s rights. Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights.
- Ministry of Education, Sri Lanka. (1996). Health and physical education syllabus (Grades 7–11). Ministry of Education.
- National Youth Services Council. (2012). National Youth Policy of Sri Lanka. Government of Sri Lanka.
- Sida. (2016). Sexuality education: A rights-based and gender-responsive approach. Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency.
- UNESCO. (2017). International technical guidance on sexuality education: An evidence-informed approach (Revised ed.). UNESCO.
- UNESCO, WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA, & UNAIDS. (2018). International technical guidance on sexuality education. UNESCO.
- World Health Organization. (2014). Health for the world’s adolescents: A second chance in the second decade. WHO.
Sexuality education remains a socially sensitive and contested subject in many societies, particularly within
culturally conservative contexts such as Sri Lanka. It is true that sexuality education is recognized as an essential part of all
countries around the world as one of the aspects of adolescents’ health and human rights in the global context. Despite
recognition by the global community as an important area that should be considered by all countries as a matter of need for
global adolescents’ health, rights, and development, the implementation of sexuality education is also hampered by various
conditions that need to be considered by society. Through this paper, sexuality education will be considered as an important
area to discuss within the framework of sociology as an important discipline to know society. In particular, sexuality
education will also be considered to know the history, development, and practices within different societies around the world,
including the development of education within Sri Lanka as an important society within the global context. Through the
appropriate methodology that will be followed through peer-reviewed literature to conclude the approach that will be
considered within the paper, important areas that need to be considered as part of the development of sexuality education
will also be identified. Some areas that need to be considered through peer-reviewed literature that is relevant to the study
will also be identified, such as issues that need to be avoided within society due to cultural concerns relating to sexuality
education, religious content to be considered as part of society, inadequacies in the preparation of teachers to handle such
education within society, opposition from society to the education that should be provided to children at all levels within
society, and various disparities at all levels within society that need to be considered by society. Despite all sexuality education
being provided within the education curriculum of Sri Lanka since the 1970s as an important area that should be avoided
by children within society, evidence also confirms that adolescents’ awareness within society concerning health that is related
to sexuality is considered to be inadequate at all levels within society.
Keywords :
Sexuality Education; Comprehensive Sexuality Education; Sociological Perspective; Education System.