Kidney health is often framed as gender-neutral, yet differences linked to sex, gender roles and social determinants all influence risk, diagnosis, treatment and outcomes. Across the life course, women can face distinct kidney health challenges that remain insufficiently recognised in policy and practice. From adolescence through reproductive years, pregnancy, menopause and older age, kidney health is closely connected to broader women’s health issues. Pregnancy complications may be an early warning sign for future kidney and cardiovascular risk, while women living with chronic kidney disease may require more tailored reproductive counselling and coordinated care. At the same time, women may be diagnosed later, under-represented in clinical research, and experience unequal access to specialist care, kidney replacement therapy, transplantation and long-term follow-up. Recent evidence also points to treatment gaps for women with cardio-kidney-metabolic conditions.
Against this backdrop, the 2026 European Kidney Forum will explore how a more gender-responsive approach to prevention, care, research and policy can improve kidney health outcomes for women and girls. The event will position kidney health more firmly within the wider women’s health and health equity agenda at EU level, while identifying practical opportunities for action.
Event format
2-hour in-person high-level policy forum with moderated multi-stakeholder panel discussion. Our speakers include European Commission representative, Members of the European Parliament, EKHA Co-President, and patient advocate.
Hosted by: MEP Romana Jerković (S&D, HR)
Date: 13 October 2026
Time: 10:00-12:00 CEST
Location: ANTALL 6Q1, European Parliament, Brussels, Belgium
📜 Register to participate in the Forum
Objectives & Expected Outcomes
- Raise awareness of how sex and gender influence kidney development, disease patterns, treatment response and quality of life.
- Position kidney health within the wider women’s health, maternal health and healthequity agenda at EU level.
- Bring together policymakers, healthcare professionals, researchers, patient advocates and industry to identify where the most important gaps persist and why.
- Examine the challenges women face across the life course, including prevention, diagnosis, pregnancy-related risks, access to treatment, transplantation and longterm follow-up.
- Highlight the value of sex-disaggregated data, inclusive clinical research and multidisciplinary care pathways in nephrology.
- Generate practical policy ideas that EU and national decision-makers can use to reduce avoidable disparities in kidney health.
- A shared understanding of how gender-related disparities affect kidney health, care pathways and outcomes
- Stronger links between kidney health, women’s health and maternal health communities
- A short set of practical policy messages for EU institutions and Member States
- Post-event summary with recommendations note
Agenda
Opening remarks
- Romana Jerković, Member of the European Parliament (S&D, HR)
- Hilde Vautmans, Member of the European Parliament (Renew, BE)
- Olivér Várhelyi, European Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare (Video message)
Voices of lived experience
- Susana Carvajal, President of the European Federation of Patient Associations with Rare Kidney Disease – FEDERG) (Caregiver perspective)
- Amanda Harvey Dehaye, EKHA General Manager (Living donor perspective)
From gaps to action: policy priorities for gender equity & kidney health (Panel discussion)
- Nikos Papandreou, Member of the European Parliament (S&D, EL)
- Tomislav Sokol, Member of the European Parliament (EPP, HR)
- Emmanuelle Pros Dawson, patient representative
- Frederico Guanais, Deputy Head, Health Division, OECD Directorate for Employment, Labour and Social Affairs
- Dr Georgina Piccoli, Head of Nephrology, Le Mans Hospital
- Prof. Michel Jadoul, EKHA Co-President
Closing remarks
- MEP Romana Jerković (S&D, HR)
- MEP Aurelijus VERYGA (ECR, LT)
Networking reception & Kidney Health Checks
Following the roundtable, participants will have the opportunity to continue the discussion over refreshments in the same room. Brief voluntary kidney health checks will also be available during the reception.
EKHA is grateful to the following sponsors for making the 2026 European Kidney Forum possible
