The World Health Organization’s (WHO) extreme standard of sex education is criticized by the UK government, writes the Daily Mail, Britain’s largest daily newspaper. One is puzzled that the WHO in the document, published to provide guidance to policymakers in Europe, claims that “sex education starts from birth”.

The UK Government is critical of and has rejected the idea of introducing extreme sex education for British children. A government spokesperson said: “The UK government does not agree with the WHO’s recommendations. We have not distributed or promoted this in schools.”

The WHO suggests that children aged four and younger should learn about masturbation and “pleasure when touching one’s own body.” The guidelines fall under what the WHO refers to as “a minimum standard that must be covered by sex education.”

In Wales, Conservative MP and shadow minister for education, Laura Anne Jones, called on the WHO to “immediately withdraw the advice.” The Welsh Government should “distance themselves” from the “frankly disruptive” guidelines, she adds.

Source: World Health Organisation faces backlash over guidance for schools saying children aged four and under should ‘ask questions about sexuality’ and ‘explore gender identities’, Daily Mail, 2023-05-14, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12082427/World-Health-Organisation-faces-backlash-sexuality-gender-guidance-schools.html

Source: Outrage over WHO advice on sexuality for infants, The Telegraph, 2023-05-13, https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/05/13/outrage-over-who-advice-on-sexuality-for-infants/

Source: Standards for Sexuality Education in Europe, WHO, https://www.bzga-whocc.de/fileadmin/user_upload/BZgA_Standards_English.pdf