One in five people in Egypt is between the ages of
15 and 24, a total of 16 million in 2012, according to
the United Nations Population Division.1
In the next
15 years, 26 million more Egyptians will reach age
15. Preparing these young people for the transition
to adulthood, a time when sexuality and relationships
are central, is a challenge. Currently, young Egyptians
receive little accurate information about sexuality
and protecting their health, leaving them vulnerable
to coercion, abuse, unintended pregnancy, and
sexually transmitted infections, including HIV.
Sexuality and reproductive health (SRH) are among
the most fundamental aspects of life. Yet they
often receive little attention in public policy discussions
because of cultural and political sensitivities.
In Egypt, traditional religious and family values,
designed to protect young people, can restrict SRH
education for youth. Egyptians commonly assume
that young people do not need to know about SRH
issues until they are married. This idea is rooted in
traditional values and long-standing taboos surrounding
sexuality that need to be examined in light
of protecting health.
Providing SRH education in schools is a costeffective
way of reaching young people because the
majority of adolescents are enrolled in school. This
policy brief describes the current state of SRH education
in schools in Egypt and presents the rationale
and recommendations for improvements. It highlights
portions of UNESCO’s guidelines related to
SRH education and describes the pioneering work
of some nongovernmental organizations (NGOs)
working in this field in the country