Giving young people the information, skills and knowledge they
need Few young people receive adequate preparation for their
sexual lives. This leaves them potentially vulnerable to
coercion, abuse and exploitation, unintended pregnancy and
sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV. Many
young people approach adulthood faced with conflicting and
confusing messages about sexuality and gender. This is often
exacerbated by embarrassment, silence and disapproval of open
discussion of sexual matters by adults, including parents and
teachers, at the very time when it is most needed. Globally,
comprehensive and correct knowledge about HIV among both young
men and young women has increased slightly since 2003—but at
only 34%, the number of young people with this comprehensive
knowledge is only slightly greater than one third of the UNGASS
target of 95%. Evidence has shown that comprehensive sexuality
education that is age-appropriate, gender-sensitive and life
skills-based, can provide young people with th