Sex Education should be mandatory: Supreme Court of India
“Sex Education is not just a Western concept.” a sentiment echoed by everyone working in this space for the past few decades. And now, the apex body has set the ball rolling in making sex education a compulsory part of education. With the recent rise in sexual violence cases such as in Kolkata, Maharashtra and Odisha, it is the need of the hour to make Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) mandatory in our education system.
Why Sex Education Matters
Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) is about more than just the biological aspects of sex—it’s about teaching young people the cognitive, emotional, social, interactive, and physical aspects of sexuality in a judgment-free and culturally aware manner.
The goal is to start this education early in childhood and continue through adolescence and adulthood, providing young people with accurate, age-appropriate and intersectional information to help them understand and navigate their sexuality safely.
CSE isn’t just about preventing harm—it’s about helping young people lead healthier, happier lives. It teaches them about the physical and emotional sides of relationships, their rights over their bodies, and the importance of respect and consent. This, in turn, can prevent sexual violence and exploitation, as it encourages young people to respect boundaries and understand their rights.
In our fight to make this a reality, we’ve been conducting workshops and raising awareness for almost seven years. We’ve seen firsthand how even the most basic concepts, like bodily autonomy and consent, are often missing from young people’s education.
What Sex Ed Must Include
Mandatory CSE must include:
- Age-appropriate consent education starts from early primary school and continues through higher secondary.
- Comprehensive and ongoing education integrated into the curriculum, so that students continuously learn about consent and respectful relationships.
- Beyond classrooms: We need to engage parents, teachers, and law enforcement, making consent education a community-wide effort.
- Active learning methods: Use interactive techniques like role-playing and discussions to help students apply consent in real-life scenarios.
- Emotional and social dimensions: Address the emotional impact of consent, ensuring students understand the real-world consequences of non-consensual behaviour.
- Localised content: Tailor the curriculum to India’s diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds, making it relevant and respectful.
- Support resources: Provide students with access to support services for victims of sexual and gender-based violence.
Conclusion
While the Supreme Court’s recent decision is a positive step, we must keep pushing forward to ensure that CSE is properly implemented in schools nationwide. This is only the beginning of what needs to be a long-term commitment to changing how we educate young people about their bodies, their rights, and their relationships.
Sex education isn’t just about teaching reproduction; it’s about teaching young people to respect themselves and others. It’s about creating a culture where consent is non-negotiable and where everyone—regardless of gender—has the right to live without fear.
We would like you to take action now. Sign the petition to make comprehensive sex education mandatory in schools across India. Let’s create a future where tragedies like the Kolkata case no longer haunt our collective conscience. Each one of us has the power to change society. Let’s start with education.
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