Back in the Classroom: Rebuilding Comprehensive Sexuality Education in Hungary

Did you know that Hungary's recent political shift creates a unique opportunity to reform sexuality education? Our latest policy brief, authored by Erika Molnár and supervised by Siya Goyal, examines how the incoming Tisza government's parliamentary supermajority provides the constitutional scope to repeal restrictive legislation and rebuild evidence-based sexual health instruction. 

Key Insights from the Research:

• A Constitutional Window for Reform: Following the April 2026 elections, the Tisza government holds a two-thirds majority, giving it the constitutional capacity to amend or repeal Act LXXIX of 2021.

  
  

•  Legislative Barriers to CSE: Act LXXIX of 2021 banned content portraying or promoting homosexuality and gender reassignment to minors and introduced an accreditation process that barred independent NGOs and external experts from school classrooms.

  
  

•  International & Legal Obligations: Hungary remains bound by treaties such as the ICESCR and the CRC. Additionally, an April 2026 CJEU ruling affirmed that the 2021 law breaches core EU values by discriminating against LGBTQI+ individuals.

  
  

• The Evidence Base for CSE: Well-structured, expert-led Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) is consistently linked to higher health literacy, delayed sexual initiation, and better overall educational outcomes for young people.

  
  

• Strategic Recommendations: The brief outlines key actions: revoking the restrictive clauses of Act LXXIX, establishing a national CSE curriculum aligned with UNESCO's 2018 guidance, re-engaging accredited NGOs, and embedding youth participation.

 Read the Full Policy Brief:

We invite policymakers, researchers, and human rights advocates to explore our findings and join the effort to rebuild comprehensive sexuality education in Hungary!