Sexuality Education at Risk: Implications of the Proposed Swedish School Reform

Sexual and reproductive health (SRH) is a central component of Sweden’s public health objectives and its international commitments under Agenda 2030. Since 1955, sexuality education has been compulsory in Swedish schools to promote SRH, and is today embedded within the school’s overarching goals and mission through a cross-curriculum approach. In 2025, the Swedish government proposed a new curriculum reform that would remove sexuality education from these goals and discontinuing the principal’s coordinating responsibility. This commentary analyzes the reform from a public health perspective, with particular attention to its implications on young people’s access to SRH. The analysis indicates that sexuality education contributes to improved SRH outcomes, a safer and more inclusive school climate, and more favorable conditions for learning. Conversely, the reform risks weakening structural coherence and coordinated implementation, thereby reintroducing disparities in teaching quality between schools. Such a development would undermine equal access to high-quality sexuality education and its associated SRH benefits. Repositioning sexuality education may also weaken Sweden’s international credibility as an SRH advocate and hinder global efforts to achieve objectives outlined in Agenda 2030. To safeguard young people’s access to SRH and enable schools to continue fulfilling this essential role, this commentary suggests that any revision of the Swedish curriculum should prioritize strengthened coordination, clarify the allocation of responsibilities, and align with international guidance on sexuality education.