Teenagers in southern Spain are being taught about explicit ‘hands on’ sexual activities as part of one region’s sex education campaign.
The new drive, which is targeted at 14 to 17-year-olds, includes information on “sexual self-exploration”. Its slogan is: “Pleasure is in your own hands”.
The socialist government in the region of Extremadura is funding the campaign with €14,000 (£12,600).
The move has been criticised by groups who say the state is intervening into parents’ responsibilities for their children.
“This is an intimate subject that should be dealt with at home,” said local opposition leader Hernández Carrón of the People’s Party.
The Confederation of Fathers and Mothers of Schoolchildren said: “They are interfering with the right of parents to educate their own children about a matter as important as their sexuality.”
The government campaign includes a workshop for the teenagers as well as flyers and a “fanzine”.
Laura Garrido, president of the Youth Council of the region, said: “The campaign is simple, clear, natural and easily understood by the people it is aimed at, who are aged between 14 and 17.”
In August, it was claimed that UN guidelines on sex education say schools should be teaching children as young as five explicit details about sex.
Earlier this month Ed Balls, the Children’s Secretary, announced that all UK schools from primary upward will be mandated to teach sex education.
Parents in this country have also been told they will lose the right to withdraw their children from sex education lessons when they turn 15.
Faith schools will be forced to teach pupils about contraception and homosexuality despite their beliefs.
Until now parents have retained the right to take their children out of sex education classes up to the age of 19 but the Government aims to reduce this to age 15.
Mr Balls said he wants all children to have at least one year of sex education, adding that he believes the change will help tackle teenage pregnancy.