The “Women’s Health Goes Digital” project reached another milestone with the successful completion of the EmpowerHER mobility training event in Warsaw, Poland. Held from January 16-18, 2025, this three-day intensive training brought together 35 youth workers from nine European countries to fine-tune women’s health programs and develop step-by-step activity plans for implementation across Europe.

Hosted by SWRK PONTES at several prestigious Warsaw venues including Pontes’ headquarters, the University of Warsaw Biological and Chemical Research Centre, and the Ochota Cultural Center, the training focused on practical approaches to women’s reproductive and mental health education.

“This training represents a crucial step in our project’s mission to develop innovative educational approaches for girls and young women across Europe,” said Natalia Strzyżewska, Project Coordinator at PONTES. “By bringing together youth workers from diverse backgrounds, we’re creating a more comprehensive and inclusive approach to women’s health education.”

The training featured expert speakers including Ukrainian psychologist and nurse Hanna Szumicka, who addressed the unique challenges faced by refugee women; obstetrician-gynecologist Dr. Barbara Antoniak, who presented on bridging knowledge gaps in women’s reproductive health; and Creighton Model Fertility Care Practitioner Agnieszka Trojnar, who demonstrated practical cycle tracking methods.

A key focus of the event was addressing the needs of women in migration situations, with participants learning about “Postponed Life Syndrome” and “Wartime Amenorrhea” – conditions affecting many Ukrainian refugee women. The training also emphasized the importance of self-education about women’s bodies, hormonal health, and recognizing cycle irregularities.

Participants engaged in collaborative brainstorming sessions on how to improve access to support for young women, enhance education for specialists in the field, and address differences in international experiences related to women’s health.

“The insights gained during this training will inform our digital platform development and help us reach our goal of educating 480 girls and young women across Europe,” stated Hrvoje Vargić, Financial Manager at World Youth Alliance Europe, the project coordinator.

This event follows previous successful project activities including the best practices exchange meeting in Pamplona and the youth worker training in Brussels. The knowledge and methodologies developed will be incorporated into local implementations across participating countries and the upcoming massive open online course (MOOC).

About Women’s Health Goes Digital

The “Women’s Health Goes Digital” project aims to develop innovative training programs and a digital platform to educate girls and young women about reproductive health, reproductive rights, and reproductive mental health. The project is a collaboration between World Youth Alliance Europe, Universidad de Navarra, Inkubator Izvrsnosti, SWRK PONTES, Teen STAR Italia, and World Youth Alliance Southeast Europe.

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Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or EACEA. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.