The European Parliament is expected to conclude its plenary session on Thursday 14 November by approving a non-legislative resolution condemning the criminalisation of sex education for minors in Poland. The Polish parliament is currently considering a draft legislative act under which anyone who publicly promotes or approves sexual relations involving minors could face a prison sentence.
The European Parliament's joint draft resolution, prepared by the EPP, S&D, Renew Europe, Greens-EFA and GUE-NGL groups, emphasises that the mental leap that suggests that providing young people with comprehensive sex education is tantamount to promoting paedophilia is “alarming, misleading and harmful”.
It is particularly concerned about the impact of an act of this kind on people who provide sex education, including teachers, carers, authors, publishers, civil society organisations, journalists and parents or guardians.
The draft text stresses that “rather than protecting young people, the lack of information and education on sex and relationships undermines their safety and well-being by making them more vulnerable with regard to recognising sexual exploitation and abuse and violence, including domestic violence and forms of online abuse”.
It should be noted that the ECR and Identity and Democracy groups have each tabled an alternative resolution emphasising the family’s lead role in children’s sex education. The ECR group even goes so far as to denounce the attempt by the other political groups in Parliament to “influence issues that the EU treaties leave to Member States”, while the ID group denies that the draft Polish law criminalises sex education.
To consult the draft resolution, go to: http://bit.ly/374Dduv (Original version in French by Sophie Petitjean)