The Kingdom of Cambodia has a young and growing population, estimated to be 15.5 million in 2015. 43% of the population is below 19 years of age, and 30% of the population in 2016 is between the ages of 10 to 24. While fertility levels are declining in general, there are still relatively high rates of adolescent fertility, with one in eight women aged 15 to 19 have either become mothers or are currently pregnant. Given this adolescent fertility rate, it is no exaggeration to say that a large portion of the young population in Cambodia will benefit from comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) programs, which is the subject of the current brief. The brief looks at the state of CSE in the national context, knowledge gaps, the reasons and impacts, the unmet needs for modern contraceptives, as well as recommendations to government on creating inclusive programs that projects sex-positive attitudes.
