In Croatia, about 80 percent of children and young people now learn about sexuality from the internet, according to a recent study by the Croatian Institute of Public Health. This has raised concern among equality ombudswoman Višnja Ljubičić, as comprehensive sex education still has not been added to the national curriculum. While countries like Sweden have offered mandatory sex education since the 1950s, Croatian NGOs continue to call for similar programs. Currently, sexuality is covered in only one lesson per year as part of the health curriculum, though some cities such as Zagreb and Rijeka have attempted to introduce optional lessons locally.
In Lithuania, sex education is formally part of the school curriculum, but students report dissatisfaction with how it is implemented. Many schools provide only minimal instruction, such as showing a video on condom use, while separating boys and girls during lessons. Students have complained that the topic is treated dismissively. In response, the health ministry stated that sex education is complex and designed to be age-appropriate and scientifically sound, but provided no detailed explanation.
Romania continues to grapple with deep divisions over the topic. In 2025, the education minister decided against a standalone sex education subject, instead integrating it into a broader “Health Education” course to avoid ideological disputes. The aim, he said, was to provide practical and unbiased information.
Belgium offers compulsory sexuality education, though the structure varies across regions. Flanders integrates it across subjects, focusing on consent, diversity, and relationships, while Wallonia mandates at least two hours annually. Discussions around contraception and sexually transmitted diseases begin from eighth grade, though the requirement for parental consent has sparked controversy. Similarly, Bulgaria includes sex education within biology and health classes for grades eight through twelve.
In Greece, sex education falls under the broader “wellbeing” category, but because teachers can choose which topics to cover, it is often overlooked in favor of less sensitive issues. Poland has seen similar controversy: while “education for family life” was once the only related subject, a new non-compulsory “health education” course introduced in 2025 now includes sexual health. This has faced backlash from conservative and religious groups, who claim it promotes harmful ideologies and undermines family values.
France recently introduced compulsory lessons on gender equality, consent, and sex education as part of reforms led by education minister Élisabeth Borne. Although such education has been legally required since 2001, a 2021 report showed that fewer than 20 percent of schools fully implemented it. The new regulations have faced opposition from conservative groups, with tens of thousands signing petitions against them.
In contrast, Austria’s approach has been more consistent and less controversial. Sex education is part of the curriculum from primary school and integrated across subjects like biology, religion, and philosophy. It is viewed as a lifelong learning process beginning in early childhood. Schools can either deliver the lessons internally or invite approved external experts. Despite this structured approach, a 2024 Gender Health Report revealed gaps in data and noted that 72 percent of Austrian youth wish to learn more about sexual and reproductive health — with boys particularly interested in contraception and infections, and girls in menstrual health.
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