The Journey Towards Global Implementation of Holistic Sexuality Education : A Comparative Case Study of Sexuality Education Guidelines from UNESCO (Global), WHO (Europe), and SIECUS (USA)

Sammanfattning: Sexuality education is a fundamental children's right, women’s right and overall human right that has not been successfully implemented in primary, secondary, or higher education throughout the globe. Sexuality education promotes children, adolescents, and teenagers safety exploring their sexuality and developing their attitudes, values, and skills. A literature review was conducted that indicates there is a gap of knowledge between sexual ethics in relation to comprehensive sexuality education and holistic sexuality education. The purpose of this study is to gain understanding of comprehensive sexuality education and holistic sexuality education by comparing vertically, horizontally, and traversally three guidelines on three levels, global, regional, and national. Critical and feminist theory are frameworks in qualitative research methods implemented in the thesis to thematically analyze secondary data throughout UNESCO International Technical Guidance on sexuality education, WHO Standards for Sexuality Education in Europe, and SIECUS’s Guidelines for CSE in USA. The results found that from an intersectional feminist perspective, learning about consent and setting boundaries is essential for the promotion of holistic sexuality education thats overcomes the limitations of comprehensive sexuality education and empowers youth to explore their sexuality further. Therefore, basing sexual ethics as a foundation for holistic sexuality education with an overarching goal of global implementation can challenging due to existing social structures and power imbalances. The advocacy and awareness of holistic sexuality education is crucial in order to for youth to access their children’s rights and human rights. This thesis advocates for sexual ethics and intimate citizenship as main pillars of sexuality and holistic sexuality education through consent and respecting boundaries.