health care

Recording available first webinar in series on future-proofing child and adolescent health in Europe and Central Asia 

Recording available first webinar in series on future-proofing child and adolescent health in Europe and Central Asia 

The first webinar in the webinar series on future-proofing child and adolescent health took place on 17 June 2025.
The webinar presented key findings from the new WHO/UNICEF fact sheets, which highlight urgent trends and emerging priorities for child and adolescent health and well-being in Europe and Central Asia. These evidence-based insights are informing the development of the forthcoming Regional Strategy on Child and Adolescent Health and Well-being (2026–2030).

In case you missed it—or would like to revisit the discussion—the full recording of the webinar is now available in English and Russian on the Health Systems for Early Childhood Development YouTube channel.

🎥 Watch the webinar here
🔎 You may view the PowerPoint slides here
💡 View the WHO/UNICEF fact sheets here

Upcoming webinars

The conversation continues with the next two webinars in the series:

  • Thursday 10 July, 10.00 CEST — A healthy start for a healthy life: orientation on the forth-coming WHO/UNICEF strategy for child and adolescent health and wellbeing in the European Region, and experiences from countries tackling child and adolescent health challenges 
  • Tuesday 16 September, 10.00 CEST — Implementation challenges and approaches

This webinar is organised by UNICEF Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia (ECARO), WHO Regional Office for Europe (WHO/Europe), and the International Step by Step Association (ISSA) under the auspices of the Health Systems for Early Childhood Development initiative. 

Posted by Didier in News
Article: Comprehensive Sexuality Education, Healthcare Professional Associations, and the Future of the World’s Youth

Article: Comprehensive Sexuality Education, Healthcare Professional Associations, and the Future of the World’s Youth

Just published in the Journal of Adolescent Health, Science Direct: “Comprehensive Sexuality Education, Healthcare Professional Associations, and the Future of the World’s Youth”[1].

Sexual and reproductive health rights are agreed in international laws. In recent years, however, diminishing reproductive health rights have been seen across the globe, including limitations in the provision of comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) for adolescents and young adults (AYAs). CSE aims to empower AYAs to realize their health and dignity, consider the impact of their health choices, and develop respectful relationships in order for them to lead their best lives. Recognizing these increasing threats to what AYAs need and want, five healthcare professional associations engaged in discussion with UN agencies and each other about advocating effectively for evidence-based CSE; this commentary summarizes five policy statements motivated by these discussions and registers publicly their collective organizations’ support for CSE in schools.

Four common themes about CSE were drown out of the five position statements that the five associations published in 2023-24. Collectively, they offer a compelling case for the ongoing promotion and scale-up of CSE within national curricula in schools. They also highlight the roles of healthcare professionals in advocacy and in practical capacity-building support for schools, families, and communities:

  • CSE Is Vital for the Healthy Growth and Development of Children and AYAs—It is Not an “Optional Extra”
  • CSE Development Needs the Involvement of Children and AYAs
  • CSE Is an Intersectoral Endeavor
  • Members of Healthcare Professional Associations Have Untapped Agency in Advocacy for Evidence-Based CSE

The five healthcare professional association:

  • International Federation of Paediatric and Adolescent Gynaecology (FIGIJ)
  • International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) 
  • International Association for Adolescent Health (IAAH)
  • International Pediatric Association (IPA) 
  • World Association for Sexual Health (WAS)

Read the full article

Read support statements


[1] Nicola J. Gray, C.P. Bansal, Esther Corona, Yasmin Jayasinghe, Melissa Kang, Marisa Labovsky, Aparna Sridhar, Linda Sussman, Jonathan D. Klein. Comprehensive Sexuality Education, Healthcare Professional Associations, and the Future of the World’s Youth. Journal of Adolescent Health, 2025. ISSN 1054-139X. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2025.02.002.

Posted by Didier in News