Refrain Evidence: Global Influences and Local Selections in Sex Education in Malawi
This article examines the case of sex education among young people in Malawi to illustrate how different discourses are taken up and adopted globalized in the social, cultural and political contexts. While the conservative Christian movement from the American evangelist is widely adopted by stakeholders in Malawi, “best practices” of public health, grounded in scientific evidence and respect for human rights, seem to be only partially implemented. Sex education in Malawi is largely paralyzed by the inability to implement programs whose effectiveness has been demonstrated in favor of an abstinence sparing the sensitivities but does not help young people reduce the risks associated with sexuality.