Sexual education is poorly taught in Romania and neighboring countries, despite public support for it.
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Sexual education is rarely taught or not at all in Romanian schools, despite three out of four Romanians supporting some form of health and sexual education in schools, a report by the Society for Contraceptive and Sexual Education (SECS) indicates. Similar situations exist in Bulgaria, Lithuania, and Croatia, while Austria teaches the subject starting in primary school. Experts define comprehensive sexual education as empowering individuals from childhood to young adulthood to protect themselves physically and mentally, covering all students, not just those sexually active. It addresses issues like preventing unwanted pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections (including HPV), abuse, and building self-esteem. Students view it as providing tools for conscious decision-making and bodily autonomy. Despite high public support in Romania, some politicians resist the subject due to ideological concerns or political maneuvering. Currently, sexual education in Romanian schools is limited to a few hours within the optional “Health Education” subject, with participation often requiring parental consent. While approximately 750,000 students study its components, many feel it lacks importance and should be a core subject. Experts stress that education requires continuous intervention, not just brief sessions. The lack of proper implementation is linked to insufficient teacher training, parental opposition, and the marginalization of the topic. In contrast, France has introduced mandatory emotional and relational education in early schooling, with sexual education topics being added for middle and high schoolers, focusing on consent and gender equality. Greece offers optional sexual health education within a national program, but practical implementation is inconsistent due to lack of teacher training, parental objections, and prioritization of core subjects. In Lithuania, lessons are often superficial or infrequent, sometimes separated by gender, which experts deem incorrect for topics like menstruation.
