The Government of Sri Lanka has officially launched the National Communication Guidelines on Age-Appropriate Sexuality Education at a ceremony held at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH), marking a significant step towards strengthening public awareness and promoting evidence-based, age-appropriate sexuality education across the country.
The event was attended by Minister of Women and Child Affairs Saroja Savithri Paulraj, Minister of Health and Mass Media Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, and Deputy Minister of Mass Media Dr. Kaushalya Ariyarathna, along with senior government officials, academics, health professionals, religious leaders, media representatives, and development partners.
During the event, several key national policy and educational documents aimed at the general public, schools, teachers, youth, and community-level health communication were officially unveiled. These included the National Communication Guideline on Age-Appropriate Sexuality Education, the Report of the National Study on Menstrual Health and Hygiene in Sri Lanka, and the Grade 6 & 7 Teachers' Handbook on Age-Appropriate Sexuality Education Communication.
The newly introduced guidelines are designed to establish a nationally consistent communication approach for providing children and adolescents with accurate, scientific, age-appropriate, and culturally sensitive information on sexuality education. They will also serve as practical guidance for teachers, healthcare professionals, journalists, community organizations, and other stakeholders engaged in public education and health communication.
A key highlight of the event was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to develop the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sector as a health-promoting environment. The agreement was signed by Dr. Anil Jasinghe, Secretary to the Ministry of Health and Mass Media, and Nalaka Kaluwewa, Secretary to the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education.
The ceremony was attended by members of the Maha Sangha and other religious leaders, Secretary to the Ministry of Digital Economy Varuna Sri Dhanapala, Director of the Health Promotion Bureau Dr. Ranjith Batuwanthudawe, senior officials from the Ministries of Health and Education, university academics, education experts, civil society representatives, journalists, and officials representing the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), among many others.
The launch reflects Sri Lanka's continued commitment to improving the health, dignity, safety, and overall well-being of children and young people through informed, inclusive, and evidence-based public communication.
