Social validity of comprehensive sexuality education effects in the suburbs of the Federal District, Brazil: a case study

Anderle, Patrícia de Souza Rezende; Rocha, Dais Gonçalves; Oliveira, Flávia Mazitelli de; Freitas, Sandra Carvalho Cavalcante; Santos, Victor Hugo de Lima; Oliveira, Bárbara Gripp de; Murta, Sheila Giardini

doi:10.1590/1413-812320253011.11522025

Abstract

Comprehensive sexuality education is an effective strategy to promote adolescents’ sexual and reproductive health and exercise citizenship. This paper presents the social validity of the effects of intervention research, through multiple case studies, with students and teachers, in two public schools in the Federal District. Participatory workshops were used to address self-esteem, gender identity, sexual orientation, support networks, contraceptive methods, youth participation, and violence. We generated data through reports and evaluations of each workshop, field diaries, photographic records, and final evaluation questionnaires with teachers and students. The results indicate that the study could: i) expose the context of structural vulnerability in the cases studied; ii) promote new behaviors and ways of thinking; iii) facilitate learning and the development of skills for health and well-being. The findings endorse the intervention’s high social validity of the effects, showing its ability to effect change for teachers and students, including improving their relationship. The observed tensions confirm the importance of teacher training and the urgency of support initiatives that can overcome the political and ideological challenges of the issue.

Key words:
Comprehensive sexuality education; Skills; Social validity of effects

Resumo

A educação integral em sexualidade é uma estratégia para a promoção da saúde sexual e reprodutiva de adolescentes e para o exercício da cidadania. Apresentamos a validade social de efeitos de uma pesquisa-intervenção, realizada por meio de estudo de casos múltiplos, com estudantes e professoras/es em duas escolas públicas do Distrito Federal. Promovemos oficinas participativas, abordando autoestima, identidade de gênero, orientação sexual, redes de apoio, métodos anticonceptivos, protagonismo juvenil e violências. Produzimos os dados a partir dos relatórios e avaliações de cada oficina, diários de campo, registros fotográficos e questionários de avaliação final com professoras/es e estudantes. O estudo foi capaz de: i) expor o contexto de vulnerabilidade estrutural nos casos estudados; ii) favorecer novas condutas e modos de pensar; iii) facilitar aprendizagens e o desenvolvimento de habilidades para saúde e bem-estar. Os achados endossam a validade social de efeitos da intervenção, com mudanças para docentes e estudantes, incluindo a melhora da relação entre ambos. As tensões observadas confirmam a importância da capacitação docente e a urgência de iniciativas de apoio capazes de superar os desafios político-ideológicos em torno da temática.

Palavras-chave:
Educação integral em sexualidade; Habilidades; Validade social de efeitos

Resumen

La educación integral en sexualidad es una estrategia para promover la salud sexual y reproductiva de los adolescentes y el ejercicio de la ciudadanía. Presentamos la validez social de los efectos de una investigación participativa realizada mediante estudios de caso múltiples con estudiantes y docentes de dos escuelas públicas del Distrito Federal. En talleres participativos abordamos la autoestima, la identidad de género, la orientación sexual, las redes de apoyo, los métodos anticonceptivos, el protagonismo juvenil y la violencia. Producimos los datos con informes y evaluaciones de cada taller, diarios de campo, registros fotográficos y cuestionarios de evaluación final con docentes y estudiantes. El estudio logró: i) exponer el contexto de vulnerabilidad estructural en los casos; ii) promover nuevos comportamientos y formas de pensar; iii) facilitar el aprendizaje y el desarrollo de habilidades para la salud y el bienestar. Los hallazgos respaldan la alta validez social de la intervención, pues se produjeron cambios en los docentes y los estudiantes, incluida la mejora de su relación. Las tensiones observadas confirman la importancia de la formación docente y la urgencia del apoyo capaz de superar los desafíos político-ideológicos sobre el tema.

Palabras clave:
Educación integral en sexualidad; Habilidades; Validez social de los efectos

Introduction

Resistance to the implementation of sex education content in Brazilian schools, aggravated by the rise of conservative forces in the Executive and Legislative branches, has escalated the programmatic vulnerability² of young people from the suburbs. Conservative pressure against a supposed gender ideology³^-⁶, based on misinformation and the spread of moral panics⁶^,⁷, resulted in the suppression of topics related to gender and sexual diversity from the 2014 National Education Plan (PNE) and the National Common Curricular Base (BNCC). Despite this context, experiences have been conducted in Brazil for decades through the initiatives and efforts of researchers and teachers, although often discontinued¹^,⁸^,⁹.

Despite the epistemological and moral tensions surrounding the topic and how to address it¹^,¹⁰, comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) is a right of young people¹¹ and a path to effective citizenship, as it provides access to safe information and the right to health, education, and complete individual development, aligned with the principles of human rights and international conventions. The CSE promotes the Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) of young people, which encompasses their overall health and well-being, in sexuality-related aspects. Among these, we can mention access to and knowledge about contraceptive methods; the prevention of unintended pregnancy, violence, and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV; information about developmental phases and changes experienced in youth; and understanding, respect, and care for people living with HIV/AIDS, among others.

In addition to helping its audience learn about their own bodies and build healthy relationships, CSE encourages protective behaviors, developing skills for health and well-being (SHWB), identified by UNESCO¹² as one of the eight pillars through which its key themes are connected. SHWB encompasses norms of sexual behavior and peer influence; decision-making skills; communication, refusal, and negotiation skills; media literacy and sexuality, as well as help-seeking and support. When incorporated into CSE interventions, SHWB produce effective results¹³, providing confidence in decision-making; enhancing critical thinking and discernment; self-awareness; access to reliable information or services; and addressing prejudice and recognizing one’s rights.

International studies on sexual education primarily focus on reducing the risk of STIs and unintended pregnancy, to the detriment of positive experiences of sexuality and relationships¹⁴^-¹⁶. Studies that use intersectional approaches and include teachers are also scarce. Goldfarb and Lierberman¹⁷ recommend that the pedagogy of social justice underlying CSE be expanded beyond gender relations, so that adults and peers can help adolescents challenge several subjugation forms. In Brazil, the urgency is heightened in contexts where vulnerable youth face multiple forms of violence - including structural violence - marked by inequalities of race, class, gender, sexual orientation, ability, age group, and territory, sustained by the State itself¹⁸^,¹⁹.

We expanded the contributions in this field, examining the social validity of the effects of an intervention research in CSE, conducted with students and teachers from two public schools on the outskirts of the Federal District (DF), from an intersectional perspective²⁰^,²¹ and participatory methodology.

Methods

This is a qualitative and quantitative intervention research study. Given its relevance to projects committed to social transformation, we prioritized a participatory approach, with adaptable content and engaging strategies⁸, recognizing schools and the proposed interventions as spaces for cooperation and the collective construction of actions that produce real-world impact²².

We adopted a multiple case study design, used to explore contextualized events and generate knowledge about a complex issue, including the evaluation of interventions²³. We took the two participating schools (schools A and B) as cases, selected due to their differences. The study was conducted from 2022 to 2024, with the first year dedicated to its theoretical and methodological development; to training the team on the CSE, the intersectional perspective, and participatory methodologies; to inter-institutional agreements - the university, the Ministry of Health, and the State Secretariats of Health and Education of the Federal District - and to collaborating with the selected schools. The following two years were dedicated to implementation, evaluation, and data analysis.

The schools are located in Ceilândia, the most populous suburban administrative region (AR) of the Federal District, whose population is predominantly Black (63.1%), female (52.8%), without a private health plan (75.6%), and whose high school students are predominantly enrolled in public schools (85.8%)²⁴. The schools’ public comprised, above all, young Black people and residents of different sectors of the AR and Sol Nascente, an AR currently considered the largest Brazilian favela²⁵.

We conducted workshops²⁶ based on the “Maguerez Arc”²⁷ with first-year high school students and teachers. Chart 1 presents the themes and methodological procedures for the biweekly workshops, lasting 50 to 90 minutes, with School A students. We adapted strategies and resources to the specificities of each school context⁹. At School B, in addition to the themes in Chart 1, we worked on “dating violence” and “respect for sexual diversity”.

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Chart 1
Methodological procedures of workshops with students, by theme and objective, Federal District, 2024.

Regarding teachers at both schools, we held five monthly workshops, lasting 50 to 90 minutes, covering the following topics: needs assessment; youth empowerment; contraceptive methods and STI prevention; support networks; and final evaluation. We generated data by triangulating procedures and approaches. In addition to workshop reports and evaluations, we analyzed documents such as field diaries, photographs, and the final mixed questionnaire administered to participants. We illustrated the results with excerpts from these materials, using the following notations in parentheses: “RO” for workshop reports; “AV” for workshop evaluations; and “QF” for responses to the final questionnaire. We also use italics to highlight participants’ statements.

Data systematization and categorization involved a group of researchers, teachers and students from diverse backgrounds, configuring an interdisciplinary and interprofessional work, whose characteristics meet the quality criteria in qualitative research²⁸. We anchored our analyses in the concept of social validity, which is appropriate for assessing the success of an intervention in participatory research. This concept refers to participants’ perceptions of the social relevance of objectives - social validity of objectives (SVO) - the acceptability of procedures - social validity of methodology (SVM) - and the social significance of the effects of a given intervention - social validity of effects (SVE)²⁹.

Here, we focused on SVE, on the potential changes generated and how they were felt by participants³⁰, understanding them within their power inequality relationships. We engaged with popular education³¹ and sought an implicated social theory, valuing the sensitive experience of individuals without underestimating the relationship between structure and social action³².

The Research Ethics Committee in Human and Social Sciences of the University of Brasília approved the study under Opinion no. 6.081.707 and CAAE: 69450023.80000.5540.

Results and discussion

Through thematic analysis³³^,³⁴, we verified the SVE of the intervention-research in its capacity to i) expose the structural vulnerability context; ii) foster new behaviors and ways of thinking; and iii) facilitate learning and the development of SHWB. Although interconnected in practice, we organized the results into these dimensions for analytical purposes.

The structural vulnerability context

Thirty-five teachers linked to the two schools participated in the study, 18 women (9 in each school) and 17 men (8 in School A and 9 in School B), and 64 high school students, 34 girls (22 in School A and 12 in School B) and 30 boys (14 in School A and 16 in School B). Despite similarities in infrastructure and resources, the two schools had two distinct contexts in terms of organizational climate (Chart 2). While School A showed engagement, participation, and receptiveness to the project, School B revealed a more challenging context, with greater resistance from all segments and a high degree of hopelessness and illness among the teaching staff, reflecting the workload and precarious working conditions they endured.

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Chart 2
School characteristics.

The willingness of School A’s teachers to foster discussions about sexuality was evident from the second meeting, on youth empowerment, when they stated that students needed to learn about contraceptive methods, recognizing the relevance of the topic. The group was eager for the training, which revealed the school’s unique environment. The teachers critically mentioned the care network, especially the Primary Health Care Unit (UBS), proposing strategies to expand care for adolescents:

The second group emphasized women’s intimate health, the importance of community engagement, and health dialogue, as many girls still don’t see a gynecologist out of fear or prefer to go alone but are embarrassed. Therefore, they proposed discussion groups with parents to help them understand the importance of intimate health. They advocated for a change in the primary care unit’s approach to adolescent care (RO).

National literature³⁵^-³⁷ documents challenges in providing SRH care to adolescents in health services, disproportionately impacting young, poor, and Black girls in inequality contexts³⁵. The neoliberal political context, in addition to guiding measures for the promotion of SRH among adolescents based on a risk premise - which ultimately blames and stigmatizes individuals for the unforeseen effects of their sexual behavior¹⁶ and further alienates them from services - also undermine public services by reducing state investment, affecting access to health care for the poorest segments of the population.

Notably, one should question the teachers’ focus, which reinforces the culture of medicalization and female accountability³⁸ regarding risk prevention - especially possible pregnancy - associated with sexuality. Even so, the teachers’ proposal reveals their willingness to intervene, which possibly contributed to their active participation in the meetings:

[...] the teachers expressed several doubts and complex questions, such as a scenario with a trans student with doubts about pregnancy during hormonal transition (RO).

However, even with broad participation, after the workshop on contraceptive methods, some of School A’s teachers still felt insecure about working with the content: I feel that addressing these issues doesn’t suit me, so I wouldn’t know how to deal with this (AV). Something similar happened with School B teachers, who also emphasized, from the outset, the relevance of the topic, the need for it to be addressed more frequently, and the urgency to generate more knowledge among students: Family planning issues, raising awareness about teen pregnancy, should be addressed more frequently (AV). Throughout the meetings, however, the teachers struggled to remain motivated by the proposals. In the workshop on contraceptive methods, there was resistance to potential adverse situations, as illustrated below:

They unanimously stated that they would take the cases to the SOE [Student Guidance Service], which is not their responsibility. They said that, in cases of STIs, the policy is that these cases do not even reach them and that they go directly to the SOE (RO).

Teachers also expressed discomfort and hesitation when asked if they felt safe talking to students about the topics covered:

I could talk to them about these topics, but I see difficulties in this teacher-student relationship, because the teacher can be misunderstood and the student can distort the teacher’s speech and spread it on social media (AV).

The perceived resistance among teachers highlighted tensions and contradictions in society. The topic sparks public debate and mobilizes diverse political and moral conceptions¹^,³^-⁷^,¹⁰^,¹⁶. This insecurity in addressing the content, while not consensual, corroborates studies that point to a lack of training, access to appropriate methodology and teaching materials, cultural and religious barriers, as well as fear of reprisals from parents and the community, or even job loss⁸^,³⁹^-⁴³.

The data also reveal the structural vulnerability that permeates the daily lives of these professionals, who face job instability, a precarious public education, and the social and economic devaluation of teaching. The power relations that permeate local contexts substantially impact the education of these Black suburban youth, whose primary access to education is through the public system. This system, by facing difficulties in offering critical, quality education, contributes to perpetuating inequalities and injustices.

Furthermore, in recent decades, the digital dissemination of intolerant discourses associated with far-right conservatism²⁰ and white supremacy, which globally promotes a racist, misogynistic, Christian nationalist, homophobic, and authoritarian ideological body⁴⁴, has resulted in intense surveillance and persecution of teachers in Brazil, especially when it comes to issues of sexuality. Indeed, in the absence of an official guideline or its curricularization, the implementation of CSE faces obstacles of multiple dimensions, as well as the experience and perception of teachers⁴¹. This disciplinary domain of power²⁰ exerts control over individuals and groups, so that they fit into the status quo, depriving them of knowledge and fundamental rights for their citizenship.

New behaviors and ways of thinking

At School A, 60% of teachers reported incorporating CSE topics into their classes. The topics incorporated were primarily teen pregnancy, stigma-free language, homophobia, and youth participation. Teachers began raising students’ awareness about unintended pregnancy and respect for diversity: Raising awareness about the consequences of early pregnancy, disseminating the idea of respect for diversity, and providing guidance on this (QF). Furthermore, 80% observed improvements in their relationships with students and the creation of a receptive environment, highlighting the promotion of free expression among young people, the cultivation of solidarity, and the promotion of uncensored speech on CSE topics.

Of the changes perceived by School B teachers (N = 12), 75% began incorporating CSE-related topics into their classes, such as youth participation, youth protection and care networks, and contraception and STI prevention methods. For 66.7%, the study facilitated the creation of a receptive environment for students, revealing changes such as listening to students raising STI-related issues; speaking without censorship about topics in this field; distributing the speech and promoting free expression among students; and cultivating solidarity among students. One teacher emphasized: I’ve always had a receptive outlook, but, due to several past situations and some statements from the training [workshops], I began to better consider the student’s situation and be more empathetic (QF).

The changes observed by the teachers reveal the possibility of building a relationship of trust with the young people in a welcoming school environment so that the students can develop the ability to seek support¹².

Regarding School A students, 92.9% (N = 28) reported putting into practice something that was addressed in the study, such as prevention of STIs and pregnancy: prevention of pregnancy and use of contraceptive methods, respect for diversity: more respect for everyone, without any type of discrimination, conversations about sexuality and gender identity: I have more freedom and courage to talk about gender identity and sexuality, self-knowledge and self-esteem: I am the leading figure of my life, about self-esteem, which helped me accept and discover myself (QF).

Data from the final assessment workshop with School A students reinforces the SVE by highlighting its positive impact, such as internalized learning applied in daily life. One student reported feeling at peace with himself, revealing growth in self-confidence and self-acceptance. Another reported a positive transformation with his sexuality, expressing an improvement in communication skills:

The project helped me a lot in expressing myself more with others. [...] I was a very insecure person about my sexuality. However, I learned that, like it or not, it’s not because you wanted to be that way, it’s not because you chose to be in a relationship with a man, and it’s not a problem. Now I even have more freedom with my family, at home, to talk about it. That’s what helped me the most... (RO).

The young man’s statement shows the potential of CSE to challenge power relations²⁰ that hinder the free expression of sexuality, when this does not reinforce heteronormativity and the patriarchal family model.

Regarding School B students (N = 18), half reported practicing some of the skills they had learned, such as interpersonal respect: respect and listening more, self-esteem: self-love, and communication. Furthermore, 72.2% of them experienced changes in their thinking about diversity, dating violence, and communication: Now I feel more confident speaking out; I’ve started to think differently about all topics (QF).

The changes go beyond preventing STIs and unintended pregnancies and reveal the CSE’s potential for developing SHWB¹² and assertive communication, respect for diversity, self-esteem, and self-acceptance. In their contexts²¹, this potential exceeds possible SRH outcomes and achieves agency, dignity, and citizenship.

Learning and development of SHWB

After the workshop on contraceptive methods with the School A teachers, despite some feeling uncertain, almost all considered that discussing this topic was part of their responsibilities: because, as stated in several documents on education, we must educate students holistically, that is, we can guide them in all aspects of their lives (AV). The final evaluation revealed greater knowledge acquisition, with 85.7% of the teachers expressing greater confidence in addressing the topic.

In the same workshop with School B teachers, there was intense engagement that reflected in the final evaluation of the meeting. Almost all participants indicated an increase in knowledge on the topic: Yes, despite having prior knowledge, it’s always possible to learn more (AV). A School B teacher was willing to talk amicably with a student in a difficult situation, such as about contraceptive methods, to see how they could develop their understanding.

Among School A students, the final evaluation of the project revealed a set of learnings related to contraceptive methods and STI prevention, as well as violence: common violence in Brazilian society and how to combat it, self-esteem: I learned to be a better person, leadership: I learned to be the leading figure of my life, safety network: where one can go if they need support, and rights: my rights as a teenager and citizen (QF). Most (92.9%) felt more prepared to discuss the topics covered after participating in the project.

In the workshop on contraceptive methods and STI prevention, when asked who they would talk to about the subject, School A students mostly indicated some family figure (9), especially mothers, followed by health professionals (8), friends and health center (6), school (4), internet (3), teachers (2), and the very project team (1). The internet, remembered more as a source of information than teachers, highlights the importance of media literacy skills in sexuality, which involves discernment regarding what is conveyed in the information media¹².

This skill reflects the development of critical thinking and was observed in the self-esteem workshop, when students noted the predominance of characteristics associated with whiteness, thinness, and heteronormativity in online beauty standards. The students confronted media-promoted idealization and the marginalization of bodies outside these standards. They also discussed the social construction of beauty norms, marked by race, class, and gender:

E5 addressed the influence of social media, highlighting the representation of an unrealistic perfection that significantly impacts our self-esteem. E8 then illustrated how virtual beauty standards often present a distorted reality. She suggested that the students search for “handsome men” and “beautiful women”. When searching for handsome men, the students commented: “He’s alpha bro”; “Only white guys!”; “Muscular”; “They all look the same!” Regarding beautiful women: “She’s white”; “Fair-skinned”; “Only blondes!” The students soon realized that the people they had previously drawn on the brown paper, as well as themselves, did not fit the internet’s standards (RO).

This educational process is fundamental for self-acceptance, self-affirmation⁴⁵, and the development of a positive self-image, especially among a population so affected by mental health problems, aggravated by the high body dissatisfaction level⁴⁶. The process also reveals the ability to understand social norms and the influence of peers on choices, perceptions of the world, and self-image¹². At the end of the meeting, a student urged his classmates to embrace who they are and not be influenced by outside opinions, emphasizing the importance of valuing their uniqueness and cultivating a positive self-image:

One student shared advice with the class to accept themselves and not worry about the opinions of others [...], emphasizing that being unique is different from conforming to standards. He encouraged them to ignore the opinions of others, emphasizing that it is more rewarding to be authentic, especially considering the brevity of time (RO).

In a working-class and predominantly Black community, the young man’s cry can be interpreted as a political practice rooted in intersectional experiences of oppression²⁰, as a response to the racial and social exclusion these young people experienced. The opportunity for this discussion allowed the students to see, recognize, and hear themselves in a process of constructing a collective identity²⁰.

In the workshop on leadership, a group of students from school A emphasized the importance of safe sexual practices, reinforcing the need for information on contraceptive methods and STI prevention as essential steps for pleasurable and safe sex. Another group emphasized open and empathetic communication for building meaningful and satisfying bonds, as well as consent and respect for individual boundaries for respectful and healthy relationships.

Communication, respect, assertiveness, and negotiation skills are important for reducing people’s vulnerability to STIs, including HIV, as they enable individuals to protect themselves from violence or abuse, overcome sexual pressure to engage in safer sexual practices, and use condoms and contraceptives correctly¹². Therefore, it would be insufficient to limit CSE to the acquisition of knowledge about SRH as isolated topics.

In the evaluation of the workshop on contraceptive methods, for School A students, the activity helped in the acquisition of knowledge: “This workshop showed me many methods that I didn’t know before” (AV). When asked about which contraceptive method they would use, the condom was mentioned by most students (22), followed by the intrauterine device (IUD) (6), the pill (3), and the contraceptive injection (3).

In turn, accounts from School B students (N = 18) highlighted learning about STI prevention: I learned about diseases like STIs and contraceptive methods: How to prevent pregnancy and how to use a condom, as well as respect for diversity: I must respect all and any sexual orientation and self-esteem: to love myself (QF). All of them felt more prepared to address pregnancy prevention and contraceptive methods after participating in the intervention research. Most also reported feeling prepared to address questions about STIs (82.4%), which is consistent with the students’ participation and engagement during the contraceptive methods workshop:

The explanation that the students liked the most was about how to use condoms. They joked a lot, but also paid attention. They were very shocked that E6 had brought a model of a penis and exemplified how to put it on. She also explained the durability of a condom. She put it on my leg to exemplify the elasticity of a condom, and P4 showed how to use it for female oral sex (RO).

In their evaluation of this workshop, students also stated that the activity generated learning: Yes, it helped me learn how to use each method (AV). When asked about who they would talk to about the topic, the main responses were health professionals (7), family members (6), and the internet (3). Regarding internet use, media literacy skills were also observed among School B students, highlighting a critical sense of the images presented to them. Regarding attitudes that could improve self-esteem, among the suggestions was attention to beauty standards and social norms:

Don’t worry about the beauty standards imposed by society. Don’t look at Instagram, or look, but don’t compare yourself (RO).

Conclusion

In both schools, teachers’ recognition of the relevance of the topic and interest in discussing it converged, as did their learning about the topic, the perception of improved quality of relationships with students, and the incorporation of topics related to pregnancy, contraception, and STI prevention into their teaching practices. The findings support the high intervention’s SVE, which achieved significant changes in teaching practice, considering its protective role in student health.

Likewise, the benefits resulting from participation in the study, reported by students from both schools, revealed high SVE. The effects matched the workshop objectives and included changes in behavior and mindset, development of SHWB, as well as the acquisition of knowledge to prevent STIs and unintended pregnancy. These results are consistent with the CSE’s goals, which should promote well-being and prepare young people for healthy decision-making, far beyond addressing risks.¹⁶ They also corroborate evidence that identified positive effects of these interventions on knowledge and attitudes related to SRH⁴⁷.

It is noteworthy that the intervention developed incorporated characteristics of other successful interventions in promoting SRH for young people implemented globally: multiple sessions; procedures appropriate for the age and gender of the participants - a criterion achieved, in this study, through participatory methodologies - and the development of skills for health and well-being¹²^,⁵⁰. Therefore, the high SVE is consistent with findings from similar international studies that indicate how successful interventions in this area should be implemented.

The CSE’s SVE on SRH learning, focusing on contraceptive methods and STI prevention associated with SHWB, shows that this topic is necessary for teacher training. The changes observed in the relationship between teachers and students favor the creation of a receptive environment where young people can recognize these adults as trustworthy figures and a place to seek support. However, although some teachers expressed increased confidence in addressing the topic at the end of the study, their hesitations and fears highlight persistent challenges facing the CSE.

The present study’s limitations were the lack of involvement of parents and the surrounding school community, the optional provision of CSE, and the low number of participating schools in the Federal District. Large-scale studies remain necessary to overcome the predominance of isolated experiences⁴⁸. The lack of official guidelines explains the limitations of coordinated interventions at the national level. It is also worth noting that, although CSE’s implementation strategies are in place and successful experiences have been performed, including in the Federal District⁹^,⁴⁹, Brazil remains without legislation or regulations, unlike other Latin American countries such as Argentina and Colombia¹⁵.

The context marked by conservatism and moral panics surrounding sex education in Brazil is also reflected in teachers’ insecurities, exposing their structural vulnerability. Removing these debates from the school environment affects the teaching-learning process and the definition of subject agendas and school projects, escalating human rights violations and inequalities for young people. Denying CSE to SRH is a social injustice that affects the health and citizenship of marginalized populations. In the school context, this exclusion is embedded in dynamics of power and silencing, perpetuating vulnerabilities, especially among young Black women and men from urban suburbs, aligning with the concept of “power pathologies”¹⁹.

Teachers and schools should receive consistent, ongoing external support to encourage families and strengthen teaching staff⁸^,³⁹^-⁴², to overcome fears of reprisals when working on the topics of CSE, gender diversity, and sexual identity. It is also crucial to provide visibility and encouragement to teachers who, based on their personal repertoires and voluntary pursuit of training, have resisted and implemented innovative and promising practices in this field.

Acknowledgments

We are grateful for the contributions of Larissa Polejack Brambatti and Josenaide Engracia dos Santos for coordinating the research and supporting its implementation.

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¹⁸ Corrêa MD, Moura L, Almeida LP, Zirbel I. As vivências interseccionais da violência em um território vulnerável e periférico. Saude Soc 2021; 30(2):e200792.
¹⁹ Farmer P. Pathologies of power: health, human rights, and the new war on the poor. Berkeley: University of California Press; 2005.
²⁰ Collins PH, Bilge S. Interseccionalidade. São Paulo: Boitempo; 2021.
²¹ Crenshaw K. Documento para o encontro de especialistas em aspectos da discriminação racial relativos ao gênero. Rev Estud Fem 2002; 10(1):171-188.
²² Paulon SM, Romagnoli RC. Pesquisa-intervenção e cartografia: melindres e meandros metodológicos. Estud Pesqui Psicol 2010; 10(1):85-102.
²³ Yin RK. Estudo de caso: planejamento e métodos. Porto Alegre: Bookman; 2015.
²⁴ Instituto de Pesquisa e Estatística do Distrito Federal. Pesquisa PDAD Ampliada 2024 do Distrito Federal [Internet]. 2024 [acessado 2025 jun 4]. Disponível em: https://pdad.ipe.df.gov.br/
» https://pdad.ipe.df.gov.br
²⁵ Reis A, Doyle L. Sol Nascente, no DF, se torna a maior favela do Brasil, segundo prévia do Censo 2022 [Internet]. 2023 [acessado 2024 out 13]. Disponível em: https://g1.globo.com/df/distrito-federal/noticia/2023/03/17/sol-nascente-no-df-se-torna-a-maior-favela-do-brasil-segundo-previa-do-censo-2022.ghtml
» https://g1.globo.com/df/distrito-federal/noticia/2023/03/17/sol-nascente-no-df-se-torna-a-maior-favela-do-brasil-segundo-previa-do-censo-2022.ghtml
²⁶ Spink MJ, Menegon VM, Medrado B. Oficinas como estratégia de pesquisa: articulações teórico-metodológicas e aplicações ético-políticas. Psicol Soc 2014; 26(1):112-121.
²⁷ Colombo AA, Aparecida N, Berbel N. A Metodologia da Problematização com o Arco de Maguerez e sua relação com os saberes de professores. Semina Cienc Soc Hum 2007; 28(2):121-134.
²⁸ O'Brien BC, Harris IB, Beckman TJ, Reed DA, Cook DA. Standards for reporting qualitative research: A synthesis of recommendations. Acad Med 2014; 89(9):1245-1251.
²⁹ Francisco VT, Butterfoss FD. Social validation of goals, procedures, and effects in public health. Health Promot Pract 2007; 8(2):128-139.
³⁰ Murta SG, Nobre-Sandoval LA, Rocha VPS, Miranda AAV, Duailibe KD, Farias DA, Oliveira WA, Silva JL, Wagner GA, Bedin L, Santos DF, Silva JL, Santos I, Silva JL, Murta SG. Social validity of the Strengthening Families Program in Northeastern Brazil: the voices of parents, adolescents, and facilitators. Prev Sci 2021; 22(5):658-669.
³¹ Freire P. Pedagogia da autonomia: saberes necessários à prática educativa. São Paulo: Paz e Terra; 1996.
³² Nunes ED. A sociologia da saúde no Brasil: a construção de uma identidade. Cien Saude Colet 2014; 19(4):1041-1052.
³³ Braun V, Clarke V. Qualitative Research in Psychology Using thematic analysis in psychology Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qual Res Psychol 2006; 3(2):77-101.
³⁴ Souza LK. Pesquisa com análise qualitativa de dados: conhecendo a Análise Temática. Arq Bras Psicol 2019; 71(2):51-67.
³⁵ Brandão ER, Cabral CS. Juventude, gênero e justiça reprodutiva: iniquidades em saúde no planejamento reprodutivo no Sistema Único de Saúde. Cien Saude Colet 2021; 26(7):2673-2682.
³⁶ Carvacho IE, Mello MB, Morais SS, Silva JLP. Fatores associados ao acesso anterior à gestação a serviços de saúde por adolescentes gestantes. Rev Saude Publica 2008; 42(5):889-898.
³⁷ Alves CA, Brandão ER. Vulnerabilidades no uso de métodos contraceptivos entre adolescentes e jovens: interseções entre políticas públicas e atenção à saúde. Cien Saude Colet 2009; 14(2):673-681.
³⁸ Vieira EM. A medicalização do corpo feminino. Rio de Janeiro: Fiocruz; 2008.
³⁹ Coime España G, Vergara Jiménez LM, Reyes Narváez MF, Quintero Mora RG, Giraldo Osorio R. Actitudes de los docentes de secundaria frente a la educación sexual de los adolescentes. Hacia Promoc Salud 2022; 27(2):105-120.
⁴⁰ Soares LM, Soares NM. Educação sexual no contexto escolar: vozes de professores do Ensino Fundamental. Res Soc Dev 2022; 11(3):e51211328023.
⁴¹ Shibuya F, Estrada CA, Sari DP, Takeuchi R, Sasaki H, Warnaini C, Kawamitsu S, Kadriyan H, Kobayashi J. Teachers' conflicts in implementing comprehensive sexuality education: a qualitative systematic review and meta-synthesis. Trop Med Health 2023; 51(1):35.
⁴² Joseph N, Mahato V, Pandey A, Mishra S, Prakash G, Gandhi R. Experiences and perception towards reproductive health education among secondary school teachers in South India. Reprod Health 2021; 18(1):50.
⁴³ Barbosa LU, Folmer V. Facilidades e dificuldades da educação sexual na escola: percepções de professores da educação básica. Rev Asoc Sudam Facens 2019; 9(19):45-56.
⁴⁴ Ross LJ. Reproductive justice as intersectional feminist activism. Souls 2017; 19(3):286-314.
⁴⁵ Collins PH. Pensamento feminista negro: conhecimento, consciência e política do empoderamento. São Paulo: Boitempo; 2019.
⁴⁶ Quandt VG, Martins-Silva T, Kaufmann CC, Bielemann RM, Muniz LC, Mintem GC. Imagem corporal e fatores associados em estudantes da rede municipal de ensino em uma cidade no sul do Brasil. Cien Saude Colet 2024; 29(5):e01542023.
⁴⁷ Montgomery P, Knerr W. Review of the Evidence on Sexuality Education.. Paris: Unesco; 2016;
⁴⁸ Monte LL, Rufino AC, Madeiro A. Prevalência e fatores associados ao comportamento sexual de risco de adolescentes escolares brasileiros. Cien Saude Colet 2024; 29(2):495-506.
⁴⁹ Freitas S, Bermúdez XPD, Mérchan-Hamann E. Sentidos atribuídos por jovens escolares LGBT à afetividade e à vivência da sexualidade. Saude Soc 2021; 30(2):e190351.
⁵⁰ Oliveira FM, Santos VHL, Ramos ICB, Freitas SCC, Rocha DG, Murta SG. Adolover: um guia para educação integral em sexualidade na escola. Brasília: Rede Unida; 2024.

Data availability statement
The data sources adopted in the research are indicated in the article’s body.

Chief editors:
Maria Cecília de Souza Minayo, Romeu Gomes, Antônio Augusto Moura da Silva, Vania de Matos Fonseca

Data availability

The data sources adopted in the research are indicated in the article’s body.

Publication Dates

Publication in this collection
28 Nov 2025
Date of issue
Nov 2025

History

Received
05 July 2024
Accepted
19 June 2025
Published
21 June 2025

Este é um artigo publicado em acesso aberto sob uma licença Creative Commons

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[9] ⁹ Paiva V, Bermúdez XPD, Merchan-Hamann E, Tagliamento G, Antunes MC, Brito I. Cenas escolares e sexualidade: saúde e prevenção nas escolas na perspectiva dos direitos humanos. Brasília: MS; 2022.

[10] ¹⁰ Cabral CS, Brandão ER. Gravidez na adolescência, iniciação sexual e gênero: perspectivas em disputa. Cad Saude Publica 2020; 36(8):e00125420.

[11] ¹¹ Sebastiani A, Delaney MG. Educación integral de la sexualidad: conceptos, enfoques y competencias. Santiago: UNESCO; 2014.

[12] ¹² Organização das Nações Unidas para a Educação, a Ciência e a Cultura (UNESCO). Orientações técnicas internacionais de educação em sexualidade: uma abordagem baseada em evidências. Paris: UNESCO; 2019.

[13] ¹³ Bowring AL, Wright CJC, Douglass C, Gold J, Lim MSC. Features of successful sexual health promotion programs for young people: findings from a review of systematic reviews. Health Promot J Austr 2018; 29(1):46-57.

[14] ¹⁴ Lameiras-Fernández M, Martínez-Román R, Carrera-Fernández MV, Rodríguez-Castro Y. Sex education in the spotlight: what is working? Systematic review. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2021; 18(6):2555.

[15] ¹⁵ Organização das Nações Unidas para a Educação, a Ciência e a Cultura (UNESCO). Evidências emergentes, lições e práticas da educação integral em sexualidade: revisão global. Paris: UNESCO; 2020.

[16] ¹⁶ Morison T, Herbert S. Rethinking 'risk' in sexual and reproductive health policy: the value of the reproductive justice framework. Sex Res Soc Policy 2019; 16(4):470-483.

[17] ¹⁷ Goldfarb ES, Lieberman LD. Three decades of research: the case for comprehensive sex education. J Adolesc Health 2021; 68(1):13-27.

[18] ¹⁸ Corrêa MD, Moura L, Almeida LP, Zirbel I. As vivências interseccionais da violência em um território vulnerável e periférico. Saude Soc 2021; 30(2):e200792.

[19] ¹⁹ Farmer P. Pathologies of power: health, human rights, and the new war on the poor. Berkeley: University of California Press; 2005.

[20] ²⁰ Collins PH, Bilge S. Interseccionalidade. São Paulo: Boitempo; 2021.

[21] ²¹ Crenshaw K. Documento para o encontro de especialistas em aspectos da discriminação racial relativos ao gênero. Rev Estud Fem 2002; 10(1):171-188.

[22] ²² Paulon SM, Romagnoli RC. Pesquisa-intervenção e cartografia: melindres e meandros metodológicos. Estud Pesqui Psicol 2010; 10(1):85-102.

[23] ²³ Yin RK. Estudo de caso: planejamento e métodos. Porto Alegre: Bookman; 2015.

[24] ²⁴ Instituto de Pesquisa e Estatística do Distrito Federal. Pesquisa PDAD Ampliada 2024 do Distrito Federal [Internet]. 2024 [acessado 2025 jun 4]. Disponível em: https://pdad.ipe.df.gov.br/
» https://pdad.ipe.df.gov.br

[25] ²⁵ Reis A, Doyle L. Sol Nascente, no DF, se torna a maior favela do Brasil, segundo prévia do Censo 2022 [Internet]. 2023 [acessado 2024 out 13]. Disponível em: https://g1.globo.com/df/distrito-federal/noticia/2023/03/17/sol-nascente-no-df-se-torna-a-maior-favela-do-brasil-segundo-previa-do-censo-2022.ghtml
» https://g1.globo.com/df/distrito-federal/noticia/2023/03/17/sol-nascente-no-df-se-torna-a-maior-favela-do-brasil-segundo-previa-do-censo-2022.ghtml

[26] ²⁶ Spink MJ, Menegon VM, Medrado B. Oficinas como estratégia de pesquisa: articulações teórico-metodológicas e aplicações ético-políticas. Psicol Soc 2014; 26(1):112-121.

[27] ²⁷ Colombo AA, Aparecida N, Berbel N. A Metodologia da Problematização com o Arco de Maguerez e sua relação com os saberes de professores. Semina Cienc Soc Hum 2007; 28(2):121-134.

[28] ²⁸ O'Brien BC, Harris IB, Beckman TJ, Reed DA, Cook DA. Standards for reporting qualitative research: A synthesis of recommendations. Acad Med 2014; 89(9):1245-1251.

[29] ²⁹ Francisco VT, Butterfoss FD. Social validation of goals, procedures, and effects in public health. Health Promot Pract 2007; 8(2):128-139.

[30] ³⁰ Murta SG, Nobre-Sandoval LA, Rocha VPS, Miranda AAV, Duailibe KD, Farias DA, Oliveira WA, Silva JL, Wagner GA, Bedin L, Santos DF, Silva JL, Santos I, Silva JL, Murta SG. Social validity of the Strengthening Families Program in Northeastern Brazil: the voices of parents, adolescents, and facilitators. Prev Sci 2021; 22(5):658-669.

[31] ³¹ Freire P. Pedagogia da autonomia: saberes necessários à prática educativa. São Paulo: Paz e Terra; 1996.

[32] ³² Nunes ED. A sociologia da saúde no Brasil: a construção de uma identidade. Cien Saude Colet 2014; 19(4):1041-1052.

[33] ³³ Braun V, Clarke V. Qualitative Research in Psychology Using thematic analysis in psychology Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qual Res Psychol 2006; 3(2):77-101.

[34] ³⁴ Souza LK. Pesquisa com análise qualitativa de dados: conhecendo a Análise Temática. Arq Bras Psicol 2019; 71(2):51-67.

[35] ³⁵ Brandão ER, Cabral CS. Juventude, gênero e justiça reprodutiva: iniquidades em saúde no planejamento reprodutivo no Sistema Único de Saúde. Cien Saude Colet 2021; 26(7):2673-2682.

[36] ³⁶ Carvacho IE, Mello MB, Morais SS, Silva JLP. Fatores associados ao acesso anterior à gestação a serviços de saúde por adolescentes gestantes. Rev Saude Publica 2008; 42(5):889-898.

[37] ³⁷ Alves CA, Brandão ER. Vulnerabilidades no uso de métodos contraceptivos entre adolescentes e jovens: interseções entre políticas públicas e atenção à saúde. Cien Saude Colet 2009; 14(2):673-681.

[38] ³⁸ Vieira EM. A medicalização do corpo feminino. Rio de Janeiro: Fiocruz; 2008.

[39] ³⁹ Coime España G, Vergara Jiménez LM, Reyes Narváez MF, Quintero Mora RG, Giraldo Osorio R. Actitudes de los docentes de secundaria frente a la educación sexual de los adolescentes. Hacia Promoc Salud 2022; 27(2):105-120.

[40] ⁴⁰ Soares LM, Soares NM. Educação sexual no contexto escolar: vozes de professores do Ensino Fundamental. Res Soc Dev 2022; 11(3):e51211328023.

[41] ⁴¹ Shibuya F, Estrada CA, Sari DP, Takeuchi R, Sasaki H, Warnaini C, Kawamitsu S, Kadriyan H, Kobayashi J. Teachers' conflicts in implementing comprehensive sexuality education: a qualitative systematic review and meta-synthesis. Trop Med Health 2023; 51(1):35.

[42] ⁴² Joseph N, Mahato V, Pandey A, Mishra S, Prakash G, Gandhi R. Experiences and perception towards reproductive health education among secondary school teachers in South India. Reprod Health 2021; 18(1):50.

[43] ⁴³ Barbosa LU, Folmer V. Facilidades e dificuldades da educação sexual na escola: percepções de professores da educação básica. Rev Asoc Sudam Facens 2019; 9(19):45-56.

[44] ⁴⁴ Ross LJ. Reproductive justice as intersectional feminist activism. Souls 2017; 19(3):286-314.

[45] ⁴⁵ Collins PH. Pensamento feminista negro: conhecimento, consciência e política do empoderamento. São Paulo: Boitempo; 2019.

[46] ⁴⁶ Quandt VG, Martins-Silva T, Kaufmann CC, Bielemann RM, Muniz LC, Mintem GC. Imagem corporal e fatores associados em estudantes da rede municipal de ensino em uma cidade no sul do Brasil. Cien Saude Colet 2024; 29(5):e01542023.

[47] ⁴⁷ Montgomery P, Knerr W. Review of the Evidence on Sexuality Education.. Paris: Unesco; 2016;

[48] ⁴⁸ Monte LL, Rufino AC, Madeiro A. Prevalência e fatores associados ao comportamento sexual de risco de adolescentes escolares brasileiros. Cien Saude Colet 2024; 29(2):495-506.

[49] ⁴⁹ Freitas S, Bermúdez XPD, Mérchan-Hamann E. Sentidos atribuídos por jovens escolares LGBT à afetividade e à vivência da sexualidade. Saude Soc 2021; 30(2):e190351.

[50] ⁵⁰ Oliveira FM, Santos VHL, Ramos ICB, Freitas SCC, Rocha DG, Murta SG. Adolover: um guia para educação integral em sexualidade na escola. Brasília: Rede Unida; 2024.

Theme	Objectives	Methodological procedures
Theme	Objectives	Workshop development	Workshop evaluation
Adolover	To identify demands and establish initial contact with the school's students.	Game that simulates dating app “Adolover” with the use of profile dynamics	Questions and answers: green (negative points); blue (suggestions); pink (positive points).
Self-esteem	To encourage reflection on beauty standards, idols, and the characteristics that adolescents consider important; to question what is an internalized standard in their perceptions.	Students chose an artist, athlete, celebrity, or person they admired and wrote down on a sheet of paper the characteristics they highlighted about that person; they kept the sheet until the theorizing stage.	Questions and answers: “Did today’s workshop make you realize something about your routine that you didn’t realize before? What?” Green (Negative points); Blue (Suggestions); Pink (What did you like most?).
Gender identity and sexual orientation	To discuss the social and chronological arbitrariness of gender definitions.	Delimit two circles on the floor, representing the “feminine” and “masculine” genders. Distribute people into the circles and discuss what symbolizes the subjects’ positions within the defined space. Then, hold hands with anyone who wishes and discuss possible emotional arrangements.	Negative points; positive points.
Support networks	To map and raise awareness about the importance of support networks; to explore different forms and sources of support available; to encourage support network membership.	Application of the Theater of the Oppressed/forum theater; discussion group on support networks available in the region.	Card with the question “What will I take away from this workshop?”
Youth participation	To empower young people to become active agents in health promotion; to make a participatory identification of relevant topics; to formulate and present practical strategies to address them.	RPG application, in which patients are challenged to identify problems in the sexual and reproductive health sphere, using the skills (RPG cards/potions) that were scored to explore innovative solutions to the challenges.	Answers to the question: how do you feel about exercising youth participation in promoting sexual health at school? (“no way”; “sure”; “let’s go”)
Contraceptive methods	To raise awareness about the different contraceptive methods, their effectiveness and where to find them.	Completing a table with the effectiveness of each method; distribution of different scenarios related to the topic where students have to seek solutions to the problems.	Questions: 1. Who and where would you talk to or get information about contraception, pregnancy, or STIs? 2. Did this workshop help you learn about contraception? How could this workshop help you learn more about this topic? Which contraceptive method would you use?
Violence	To discuss and identify the different types of violence (physical, sexual, psychological, structural) and how to combat them.	Discussion group on the topic, focusing on types and legislation regarding violence.	Questions about the workshop: 1. How did you feel about participating in the workshop? 2. What didn’t you like about the workshop? 3. Who would you turn to in cases of violence? 4. If these characters on the posters (or someone else) came to you for help, would you feel prepared to help?
Final evaluation	To evaluate the trajectory and effects of the project with the students.	Assessment questionnaire and dynamics with string in a circle, answering the question: “Today I will finish this stage of the project…”	The evaluation was the workshop itself.

Characteristics	School A	Escola B
Location in Ceilândia	Setor P Norte.	Setor O.
New High School (NEM) implementation date	2020 (First to implement in the AR).	2022
Challenges	Violência; adoecimento mental; baixa participação familiar; desinteresse; alta rotatividade de professoras/es
School management	Participativa, propositiva e receptiva	Not very participatory.
Teachers	Temporary professionals; Receptiveness, collaborative spirit, and involvement.	Temporary teachers; Dissatisfaction with the NEM; Resistance, fatigue, overload, and illness.
Youth leadership context	Student newspaper.	Low engagement.
Student recruitment	Theatrical play by interns in the classrooms, voluntary registration and drawing of lots for interested parties.	Coordination defined a first-year class, for the Life Project discipline.