The challenges of girls’ right to education: Let’s talk about human rights-based sex education

The United Nations human rights framework offers new ways of conceptualising sex education. Although none of the treaties explicitly refer to sex education, an analysis of the rights contained in the core treaties demonstrates that there is a positive obligation on the state to provide sex education to fulfil the human rights of girls and women. A human rights perspective offers a framework in which to address the challenges to delivery of sex education. It is argued that due to the significance of the human rights that are fulfilled by sex education it is proportionate to limit the role of religious and cultural norms in delivery of sex education.