Sexuality education in Europe – An assessment of the current state, challenges and good practice

Abstract

Background Comprehensive sexuality education is a crucial factor for protecting the health and well-being of children and young people. A recent assessment, conducted by the Federal Centre for Health Education and the International Planned Parenthood Federation European Network (IPPF EN), gives an up-to-date overview of the current status of sexuality education (SE) in schools in 25 European and Central Asian countries. It further provides information on challenges and good practice in this field. Methods Pre-tested questionnaires were sent to representatives of governmental (Ministries of Health or Education) and nongovernmental organisations (IPPF member associations) in 25 countries in Europe and Central Asia. All representatives of the nongovernmental (25) and two-thirds of those in governmental organisations (16) responded. The questions were grouped under five themes related to SE: legal framework, status of implementation, barriers and opposition, youth-friendly sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services, and national data on adolescent SRH. Results In 15 of the 25 countries surveyed, a legal framework exists (law/ policy/ strategy) which supports SE in schools. In 11 countries, SE is mandatory in schools, and in 10 countries SE clearly has a comprehensive character. In most countries, SE is integrated into broader teaching subjects, e.g. biology or life skills education. A lack of teacher training and of monitoring and evaluation of SE programmes has been identified in the majority of countries. Conclusions In the past two decades, remarkable progress has been made in developing and implementing SE in the region. Nevertheless, further improvements are urgently needed, as differences between and within countries persist. These include the quality and the comprehensiveness of SE programmes, the monitoring and evaluation of these programmes and the development and implementation of teacher training. Key messages Remarkable progress has been made in implementing sexuality education in Europe and Central Asia. Nevertheless, further action is needed to reduce differences in implementation and quality between and within countries.