Welcome to “Fertility Awareness Matters: Tackling the Knowledge Gap for European Youth”!
We ware thrilled to host the FActs! event at the European Parliament, a crucial step in ensuring that young people across Europe are equipped with the knowledge they need to make informed decisions about their future.
Education is the foundation of empowerment, and while we have made significant progress in education, there are still missing pieces in this picture. We are here to initiate the process of completing it.
This event is hosted by MEPs MEP Marko Vesligaj (S&D, Croatia), and MEP Kira Marie Peter-Hansen (The Greens/EFA, Denmark), who share our commitment to integrating fertility awareness into comprehensive sexuality education. With prominent speakers offering diverse perspectives, we will explore the current state of fertility awareness and the gaps that still need to be addressed.
Agenda of the event
15:00 – 15:05 Welcome and house rules, moderator Tamsin Rose
15:05 – 15:15 Welcome Speech, hosting MEP Marko Vesligaj (S&D, Croatia)
15:15 – 15:25 Welcome Speech, co-hosting MEP Kira Peter Hansen (The Greens/EFA, Denmark)
15:25 – 15:30 Welcome Speech, Klaudija Kordic, Chair, Fertility Europe
FACTS! PROMOTIONAL VIDEO
15:30 – 15:40 “Mapping Fertility Awareness of European Youth: A Research Project by Fertility Europe”, Irina Popova, Vice Chair, Fertility Europe
15:40 – 15:50 “Fertility Awareness Empowers the Next Generation”, Keira LaHart, Norway
15:50 – 16:00 “Co-creating knowledge and growing up informed: Fertility Awareness as a life skill for Teens”, Ana Galhardo, PhD, Clinical Psychologist, University of Coimbra, Portugal
16:00 – 16:10 “Fertility awareness in European teens: where are we today and should we change it?”, Zdravka Veleva, MD, PhD, University of Helsinki University, Finland
16:10 – 16:20 Speaker TBC
16:20 – 16:25 Florence Bauer, Regional Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)
16:25 – 16:30 Call to action: Klaudija Kordic
16:30 – 16:55 Open discussion
16:55 – 17:00 Closing Remarks, moderator Tamsin Rose
Mind the Gap – The Reality of Fertility Awareness in Europe
The FActs! study, based on data from 3,803 gameplay results across five European countries, revealed significant gaps in young people’s understanding of reproductive health. A closer look at Bulgaria, Finland, Norway, Poland, and Portugal highlights cross-country trends that demonstrate just how awareness of fertility, its lifespan and biological changes over time are critically underrepresented in European education systems. This lack of knowledge has real-life consequences for young people’s reproductive health and future choices.
To provide a deeper understanding of these findings, we have prepared a clear and visually engaging overview of the FActs! Information and selected findings.
FActsFertility_infograph_FINAL-1Call to Action – the time is now!
As the final highlight of the event, we will introduce a Call to Action—urging all stakeholders and policymakers to take decisive steps toward ensuring fertility awareness becomes an essential part of youth education.
CALL-TO-ACTION-draft-Empowering-young-people-with-comprehensive-fertility-education-