Characteristics of Effective Sex Education

        Experts have identified critical characteristics of highly effective sex education and HIV/STI prevention education programs. Such programs:

1. Offer age- and culturally appropriate sexual health information in a safe environment for participants;
2. Are developed in cooperation with members of the target community, especially young people;
3. Assist youth to clarify their individual, family, and community values;
4. Assist youth to develop skills in communication, refusal, and negotiation;
5. Provide medically accurate information about both abstinence and also contraception, including condoms;
6. Have clear goals for preventing HIV, other STIs, and/or teen pregnancy;
7. Focus on specific health behaviors related to the goals, with clear messages about these behaviors;
8. Address psychosocial risk and protective factors with activities to change each targeted risk and to promote each protective factor;
9. Respect community values and respond to community needs;
10. Rely on participatory teaching methods, implemented by trained educators and using all the activities as designed