French sexual education and health policy developments

France is navigating complex developments regarding sexual education and reproductive health. One year after the rollout of the Evars (Education on affective, relational, and sexual life) program, the national framework for standardized sexual education in schools has met resistance. Educators have expressed hesitation, viewing the curriculum as a “mined” territory, which has fueled a cultural debate over whether such instruction interferes with parental values.

Parallel to these educational debates, the French Ministry of Health, Families, Autonomy and People with Disabilities has introduced a 2026-2030 sexual health roadmap. This policy plan includes 22 actions focused on prevention and medical access. Key priorities involve expanding access to voluntary interruption of pregnancy (IVG) by easing conditions for abortions outside specialized establishments and potentially allowing the dispensing of abortifacient medications in pharmacies by 2027. The roadmap also aims to combat misinformation and expand testing for HIV and STIs.

Expanding on school-based initiatives, the Ministry of National Education has announced a new program scheduled for November 2026 to identify gender-based and sexual violence. Moving beyond existing bullying protocols, this system will target students from kindergarten through high school using age-appropriate questioning to facilitate reporting to trusted adults. While the Independent Commission on Incest and Sexual Violence Against Children (CIIVISE) supports the effort to “break the silence,” the commission noted that the initiative must be paired with competent listening and guaranteed access to medical and psychological care.