Institutionalizing Professional Education in Clinical Sexology in the Middle East and North Africa: Barriers, Opportunities, and Policy Directions

Objectives This study examines the development and institutionalization of clinical sexology training in Morocco, Egypt, and Lebanon. It explores how political, socio-cultural, and academic contexts influence the recognition of this field within health and education systems.Methods A mixed-methods approach was used, combining a review of academic literature and policy documents on sexual health education, a mapping of existing clinical sexology training programs, and semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders, including clinical sexologists, trainers in sexual and reproductive health, and experts in sexual health education, research, and advocacy. The analysis was informed by critical perspectives on the medicalization of sexuality and the institutionalization of sexual medicine within health systems.Results We reveal a lack of formal recognition of clinical sexology in national health strategies and higher education policies across the three countries. Existing initiatives are limited, fragmented, and mainly driven by individual academics or civil society organizations rather than embedded in national frameworks. Sexology training is largely situated within medical faculties and clinical specialties such as psychiatry, gynecology, and reproductive medicine, reinforcing a biomedical and therapeutic approach focused on sexual dysfunctions, diagnosis, and treatment. While sexual medicine remains dominant in institutional settings, broader sexual health perspectives grounded in public health, psychosocial, gender, and human rights approaches are weakly institutionalized. Key barriers include socio-cultural taboos, religious sensitivities, institutional resistance, lack of regulatory frameworks, shortage of trained professionals, and limited political prioritization. Nevertheless, emerging opportunities include increased civil society engagement, feminist advocacy for sexual rights, development of flexible training initiatives, and growing interest among young professionals in rights-based approaches.Conclusions Strengthening policy support, developing interdisciplinary training, and fostering collaboration between medical, psychosocial, public health, and civil society actors are essential to better integrate clinical sexology into health and education systems and to improve access to comprehensive, rights-based sexual health services in the MENA region.