On this page

1. National strategy(ies)

2. Encouraging healthy lifestyles and healthy nutrition for young people

3. Health education and healthy lifestyles education in schools

4. Peer-to-peer education approaches

5. Collaboration and partnerships

6. Raising awareness on healthy lifestyles and on factors affecting the health and well-being of young people

 

National strategy(ies)

 

National Health Strategy 2023-2033

In France, the current public-health framework is the National Health Strategy 2023–2033. It is complemented by sectoral strategies on nutrition, tobacco control, sexual and reproductive health, cancer, endometriosis and addictive behaviours. Taken together, these frameworks address population-wide health issues and include specific measures for children, adolescents and young adults.

National Tobacco Control Programme 2023-2027

The current tobacco-control framework is the National Tobacco Control Programme (PNLT) 2023–2027, presented by the Ministry of Health and Prevention and supported by the MILDECA (Interministerial Task Force on Drugs and Addictive Behaviours). Its objective is to help achieve a smoke-free generation by 2032. The programme prioritises protecting children and young people from starting to smoke, strengthening smoke-free public spaces, supporting smokers who want to quit, and reinforcing the fight against illicit tobacco markets.

Cancer prevention

Cancer policy is now organised around the Ten-Year Cancer Control Strategy 2021–2030, which entered its 2026–2030 second phase in early 2026. Children, adolescents and young adults remain a priority group, particularly for adapted care pathways, continuity of schooling and studies, and research on paediatric and adolescent/young-adult cancers.

The strategy also continues to place strong emphasis on HPV vaccination as a cancer-prevention tool. The National Cancer Institute now states that vaccination is recommended from age 11 for girls and boys, with catch-up vaccination extended up to 26 years of age.

Sexual Health Roadmap 2017-2030

The Ministry in charge of Health has launched a comprehensive roadmap to improve and promote the sexual health of the French. This roadmap also concerns young people. The measures in the Sexual Health Roadmap aim, by 2030, to:

• Place education on sexuality and sexual health for young people at the heart of their health education.  Biological knowledge, but also psycho-social skills (reflection on mutual respect, equality between girls and boys, reciprocity and consent in relationships with others) must be transmitted to young people. Particular attention will be paid to adolescents under 15, 20% of whom have already begun to have sex;

• Strengthen the prevention, screening and treatment offer in sexual health around primary care professionals". In particular, this involves promoting contraception and sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevention consultations for young girls and boys;

• Maintain a special focus on vulnerable populations or those exposed to HIV;

• Strengthen and diversify STI and HIV prevention;

• Promote research in sexual health.

Several concrete measures now apply directly to young people. A long sexual-health consultation is available to all people under 26 and is covered at 100% by health insurance; emergency contraception is available without prescription and is fully covered; and certain condoms are reimbursed at 100% for people under 26. In addition, the legal time limit for instrumental abortion was extended to the end of the 14th week of pregnancy, and minors may access abortion with or without parental consent under the current legal framework.

Finally, the development of the Onsexprime.fr government website for young people aged 11 to 18 helps to promote a positive approach to sexuality among adolescents and the adoption of long-term behaviour that is favourable to sexual health. Developments are underway, in particular on the creation of content on social networks.

Fight against endometriosis national strategy

The National strategy to combat endometriosis, launched in 2022, aims to improve early diagnosis and access to specialised regional care pathways. The Ministry of Health continues to implement the strategy and to strengthen awareness among professionals and the public.

Addictive behaviours among young people

Youth addiction policy is now framed by the Interministerial Strategy for Mobilising Against Addictive Behaviours 2023–2027 (SIMCA). The strategy covers alcohol, tobacco, illicit drugs, gambling and problematic gaming/screens, and explicitly aims to ensure that younger generations are less exposed to addictive risks. It also emphasises prevention, education and coordinated action by public authorities.

In practice, prevention continues to be implemented through partnerships in educational and territorial settings. MILDECA also supports prevention initiatives in higher education, while the strategy provides a national framework that can be used by local authorities, associations and public services.

 

Encouraging healthy lifestyles and healthy nutrition for young people

 

At national and regional level

At national level, the National Nutrition and Health Programme 2026–2030 (PNNS 5) remains the reference framework for nutrition and healthy lifestyles, with an explicit focus on diet, physical activity and the reduction of sedentary behaviour.

Moreover, regional action is no longer framed only through national, cross-cutting health strategies. The Regional Health Agencies (Agences régionales de santé) now act through their Regional Health Projects (Projet régional de santé), which set five-year priorities for prevention, care and the medico-social sector and coordinate regional public-health policy. These regional frameworks can therefore include targeted actions for children, adolescents and young adults, depending on local needs.

The Ministry of Health funds regional prevention and experimentation through the FIR – Regional Intervention Fund (Fonds d’Intervention Régional) ), which finances actions and pilot projects validated by the ARS. According to the Ministry, the FIR is financed mainly by the compulsory health insurance schemes, and may also receive contributions from the State and the CNSA (Caisse Nationale de Solidarité pour l’Autonomie). It is one of the main financial tools used to support regionally adapted health actions.

Young Consumer Consultations

France continues to rely on the nationwide network of Young Consumer Consultations (Consultations Jeunes Consommateurs, CJC). These consultations are present in almost all French departments and offer free and potentially anonymous support to young people and their families. They are run by CSAPA centres (Centre for care, support and prevention in the field of addiction) and may also be delivered through advanced consultations in places frequented by young people, such as Youth Centres (Maisons des Adolescents) and Youth Support Centres (Points Accueil Écoute Jeunes). The consultations address alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, other psychoactive substances, screens and video games.

Since the adoption of the Interministerial Strategy for Mobilising Against Addictive Behaviours 2023–2027 (see 7.4 National strategy(ies) section), these consultations have been further strengthened: the strategy stresses the importance of early intervention, encourages partnerships with lower and upper secondary schools, and promotes the development of advanced CJC models that bring support closer to young people.

 

Health education and healthy lifestyles education in schools

 

Schools have a twofold mission: surveillance, monitoring of pupils' health as well as providing them with health education and teaching them to take responsibility in light of the risks.

Citizenship and health education committee

In secondary schools, the CESC - citizenship and health education committee (comité d’éducation à la santé et à la citoyenneté) implements health education and measures on preventing violence in schools. This committee form part of the overall governance of each secondary school institution pursuant to the provisions of Articles R 421-46 and 421-47 of the Education Code (Code de l’éducation). It is chaired by the school head or principal and can be made up of a number of different members: representatives of teaching staff, parents and pupils, representatives of the municipality and local authority, institutional partners (police or gendarmerie for example) and partner associations.

Health education at school is also achieved through the educational health pathway and the Health-Promoting School frameworks, which apply from nursery school to upper secondary education.

The PES - health education pathway (parcours éducatif de santé)

This initiative is part of the legislation for restructuring French schools and has been reaffirmed by the legislation for modernising the French health service. It has been implemented since the beginning of the 2016/2017 academic year and is explained in a "brief document that can be understood by all stakeholders" indicating what steps are being taken as regards pupils' health from primary school right through to sixth-form college (lycée). This document is also shared with families.

The PES is a three-pronged approach:

1. Health education;
2. Prevention, which bears on the risks and situations which children and adolescents might encounter depending on their age (addictive behaviours, diet, exercise, sexuality education, sexist and sexual violence, etc.);
3. Protection, in order to create an environment that is conducive to well-being.

A Support Guide for the Health Education Pathway has been drawn up by the Ministry of National Education for schools. This pathway is supported, in the national Priority Prevention plan, by the "Health Promoting School" approach. Initiated in 2020, this approach enhances the actions and projects already implemented in the area of health in order to link them with other approaches (school climate, education on sexuality and nutrition, etc.). The aim of this approach is to develop a common culture around health in order to make visible what enables health and well-being in a school.

Othe initiatives include peer-led projects, such as the "Edusanté" label. Moreover, the educational health policy also now places stronger emphasis on mental health and first aid. In the school system, every establishment must have a mental-health protocol; two adults per establishment are trained in mental-health first aid; and the national prevention framework continues to promote first-aid training through Apprendre à porter secours (APS) in primary school and gestures that save lives (GQS) plus PSC1 training (Level 1 Civil Protection and Emergency Response) in secondary education.

Sources : French Ministry of National Education, The health education pathway ; Committing to the Health-Promoting School initiative ; Child protection.

Health education

Health education is organised around priority themes:

• A healthy lifestyle, education in healthy eating and sport;
• Sexuality education, access to contraception and prevention of STIs and AIDS.
• Prevention of addictive behaviours;
• Prevention of "dangerous games" and contribution to the prevention and tackling of bullying at school;
• Prevention of mental health problems;
• Sexuality education in light of the risks.

Health education forms part of the Common Base of Knowledge and Skills and must be officially documented in the school's strategic plan. National health education guidelines are defined by Circular no. 2011-216 of 2 December 2011, published in the BOEN - National Education Official Bulletin (Bulletin officiel de l'éducation nationale) no.46 of 15 December 2011.

Sex and relationship education

Sexuality education in secondary schools and sixth-form colleges (lycées) is currently defined by the circular n°2018-111 of September 12, 2018. 

At lower and upper secondary level

At least three annual sexuality education sessions are organised in secondary schools and sixth-form colleges (lycées). These tie in with and round off the various subjects taught in lessons, biology in particular.

Their learning outcomes are as follows:

• "Provide pupils with objective information and scientific knowledge;
• Identify the different dimensions of sexuality: biological, emotional, cultural, ethical, social and legal;
• Develop critical thinking skills;
• Encourage responsible individual and collective behaviour (prevention, protection of yourself and others, the right to privacy and private life);
• Raise awareness of the specific information, aids and guidance available in and outside the school".

This education forms part of a public health approach:

• To prevent and reduce risks: unwanted early pregnancies, forced marriages, sexually transmitted infections, HIV/AIDS;
• To crack down on homophobic and sexist behaviour as well as sexual violence;
• To promote gender equality.

Preventing sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is a key priority of sexuality education.

Prevention of STIs, HIV/AIDS in particular, involves informing adolescents about the risks they run and what they can do to protect themselves.

It can be addressed during:

• Earth and Life Science lessons;
• The annual sexuality education sessions;
• Educational actions enabling a cross-cutting approach to be taken to AIDS prevention.

Partnerships with associations are set up with a view to running information campaigns, for example with the association Sidaction. 1 December, World AIDS Day is another opportunity for staging prevention initiatives. What is more, there is at least one condom vending machine in every sixth-form college (lycée).

Initiatives to protect young people against sexual violence may also be organised in the context of this sexuality education, through awareness-raising actions.

Teaching aids

There is a range of resources to help teachers plan their sexuality education lessons: the Sexuality Education portal on Éduscol.

 

Peer-to-peer education approaches

 

The peer-to-peer approach to health prevention is gradually gaining ground in France. It not only concerns young people but also the elderly and disadvantaged groups of people.  It is an approach favoured by the voluntary organisation sector, but public actions aimed at promoting it have been carried out.

The Student Health Relay (ERS) and Student Health Services (SSE) schemes

In France, peer-to-peer health education is now clearly integrated into student health policy, especially in higher education. The Ministry of Higher Education and Research states that prevention by peers is encouraged within Student Health Services (SSE), and that the Student Health Relay (ERS) scheme remains one of the main tools used in this framework. ERS act as mediators between students, student health services, healthcare professionals, and prevention or care structures; they inform their peers and help orient them towards the appropriate support. In 2025, the Ministry reported 636 ERS “well-being” students deployed in 59 establishments.

The "Onsexprime" website (see 7.4 National strategy(ies) section).

Assessing the peer-to-peer health education approach

The peer-to-peer education approach and initiatives using this practice are not systematic. But its impact and merits have been analysed by scientific research for all that. The INJEP - National Institute for Youth and Non-Formal Education (Institut national de la jeunesse et de l’éducation populaire) has written up studies and reports on the subject: "L’éducation pour la santé par les pairs : une autre façon de prendre sa place dans la société" [Peer-to-peer health education: another way of finding one's place in society], supervised by Yaëlle Amsellem-Mainguy and Éric Le Grand. These studies show that the key to successful peer-to-peer health education is the "complementary" combination of peer education (between young people) and more "traditional" education involving health professionals (adults). Other studies look into the role and importance of the Internet in peer-to-peer education.

 

Collaboration and partnerships

 

Health policies within schools rely on collaboration between multiple partners: teaching staff, institutions and associations as well as pupils' parents. Health and social workers (school doctors or nurses for example) are also called on to help deliver these projects. The citizenship and health education committee is tasked with organising these partnerships.

External professionals can also share their expertise by developing initiatives in schools and producing educational resources: the Santé publique France Agency, MGEN - General Mutual Health Insurance Fund for National Education (Mutuelle générale de l’éducation nationale), the French Red Cross, Family planning (Planning familial), National Anti-Smoking Committee (Comité national contre le tabagisme), Crips - Regional AIDS prevention and information centres (Centres régionaux d’information et de prévention du sida), CPAM - Primary Health Insurance Fund (Caisse primaire d’assurance maladie), Association Addictions France, etc).

When such experts are to hold regular sessions in school settings, an agreement must be signed. These partnerships are formally established, perhaps through a framework agreement. 

 

Raising awareness on healthy lifestyles and on factors affecting the health and well-being of young people

 

With a view to raising young people's awareness of risk factors and behaviours for health, the public authorities use a variety of tools to promote physical and mental well-being. This advocacy work can be carried out via structures dedicated to informing young people and national or local campaigns.

Information providers/counselling structures

Information providers and counselling structures belonging to the Youth Information Network (Réseau Information Jeunesse) (See chapters 1 "Youth policy governance" and chapter 4 "Social inclusion") help to raise young people's awareness of addictive and risk behaviour. These community structures are located in municipalities where youngsters can go directly without needing an appointment.They are coordinated at regional level by the CRIJ - regional youth information centres (Centres Régionaux de l’Information Jeunesse), which are subsidised by the devolved departments of the Ministry in charge of Youth and by the Regional Councils.

Some of the network's resources can be accessed on the website of the Youth Documentation and Information Centre (Centre d'information et de documentation Jeunesse), the central resource centre for the whole of the Youth Information network as well as the CRIJ for the Ile-de-France (Parisian) region.

All of the organisations working in favour of youth health (See 7.2 Administration and Governance section), such as the associations partnered up with public authorities (Maisons des adolescents, Missions locales) as well as SSEs - University Health Services (Services de santé étudiante), placed under the authority of the Ministry of Higher Education and Research, play a part in raising young people's awareness.

These structures pass on and disseminate information about the health schemes available to young people and promote access to rights to health.

In some municipalities there is a Youth health centre (Espace santé Jeunes). This is somewhere 11 to 25 year olds can come for advice and guidance on health and well-being issues. It is free of charge, freely accessible and guarantees confidentiality and anonymity for the young people who come. It is also a resource centre where young people can get information about nutrition, contraception methods, infectious diseases (STIs), addictive substance consumption and suicide prevention. Youth health centres can be set up by local authorities (Municipalities, Département) in partnership with associations.

The Youth Compass (Boussole des jeunes)

The Youth compass is a digital service for 15-30 year olds set up by the Ministry in charge of Youth. This service aims to combat the lack of access to social rights and services for young people by listing the services that can be used by young people in their place of life and facilitating the connection of young people with the right professional.

Youth Compass includes a section dedicated to health, which enables young people to meet professionals to obtain information on topics as varied as social protection, sexuality, unhappiness, addictions and nutrition, for example.

Campaigns geared towards young people

The main official campaigns aimed at young people in France are largely carried by Santé publique France Agency and the relevant ministries. Santé publique France’s current role explicitly includes national social-marketing and communication campaigns in areas such as tobacco, nutrition, sexual health, mental health and vaccination, as well as the development of reference information websites and prevention tools:

• Road safety – “Sam, celui qui conduit, c’est celui qui ne boit pas” : The long-running Sam campaign remains the official designated-driver reference in French road-safety prevention. Sécurité routière still presents Sam as the sober driver who takes responsibility for bringing friends home safely, and the campaign was refreshed in 2024 with the message that “friendship saves lives.”
• Smoking – “Mois sans tabac” : The Mois sans tabac campaign remains the national annual challenge to help people quit smoking. The Ministry of Health announced the 10th edition for 1–30 November 2025, confirming that it is still an active yearly public-health campaign in 2026.
• Vaccination – European Immunization Week : The European Immunization Week is still coordinated at national level by the Ministry of Health and Santé publique France, with regional implementation by the ARS. In 2026, the week ran from 27 April to 3 May, and Santé publique France stated that the campaign aims to mobilise local stakeholders and improve vaccination uptake.
• Sexual health – Sexual Health Week : Sexual Health Week remains an annual early-June event in the Ministry’s public communication. The Ministry’s 2025 communications refer to the campaign theme “Santé sexuelle : parler de tout, pour la santé de toutes et tous”, confirming that it is still a current official prevention campaign.
• Mental health : Santé publique France continues to run national mental-health communication campaigns. In late 2025, it launched “À qui ressemble”, a national campaign with the Ministry of Health to encourage open discussion and reduce stigma around mental-health disorders. For young people specifically, Santé publique France continues to treat #JenParleA / Le Fil Good as key reference campaigns, designed to encourage adolescents and young adults to speak to someone and use the Fil Santé Jeunes support service.
• Physical activity and healthy lifestyles : The teen-focused campaign “Getting teens to be active isn’t easy. But encouraging them is important” was launched by Santé publique France in 2022 and later evaluated in 2025. As of 2026, the official approach is framed more broadly through Santé publique France’s ongoing partnership work on physical activity, sedentary behaviour and healthy eating, rather than through a new standalone adolescent campaign.