Brazil's government is trying to tackle rising teen birth rates by using a controversial 'abstinence-only' sex education approach.

This method of teaching sex-education dismisses the use of condoms and other forms of birth control in favor of teaching youth that the best or only way to avoid unwanted pregnancy and transmission of sexually-transmitted diseases is through not having sex at all. 

The decision to restrict education about birth control has been condemned by both pediatricians and education specialists.

Conservative Evangelical Christian groups have pushed for 'abstinence-only' or 'abstinence until marriage' education in the U.S. and parts of Latin America.

Studies following abstinence-only education in the U.S. found no reductions in teen pregnancies, and in some conservative states, it was associated with higher adolescent birth rates.