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Michalina Drejza

Michalina Drejza - 2019 Nominee
Position: Director of Research and Development
Organization: International Youth Alliance for Family Planning
Doctor of Medicine from Poznan University of Medical Sciences
Additional Degrees and Certifications:
PhD in Obstetrics and Gynecology candidate 2018-2020 at Poznan University of Medical Sciences
MSc Reproductive and Sexual Health Research candidate 2017-2019 at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
Awards Received:
  • Award:
    Scientific Project Grantee
    Awarding Organization:
    European Society of Contraception and Reproductive Health
    Date Awarded:
    February 14, 2019
Medical doctor and global youth advocate. She co-founded Polish Doctors for Women that provides EC to Polish women in need. The youngest European Society of Contraception and Reproductive Health's grantee for her research project on ASRH in Poland. – Alan Jarandilla Nuñez, Director of Policy and Advocacy at International Youth Alliance for Family Planning
Describe your contributions to and achievements in family planning.

For the last seven years I have been working within the global youth spaces to accelerate agenda for sexual and reproductive health and rights.
I conducted multi-country survey on the knowledge, attitudes and practices of medical students and family planning (presented at the ICFP2018).
I have been involved in multiple leadership positions such as in the International Federation of Medical Students' Associations (IFMSA), Adolescent and Youth Constituency of The Partnership of Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (PMNCH), UNAIDS youth constituency and more.
As a consultant, I am supporting the development of WHO normative guidance on self-care interventions for SRHR with a special focus on training of health providers and meaningful youth engagement in guideline development process.

What sparked your passion for family planning?

As born and raised in Poland I have seen the importance and the challenges of family planning agenda over the years. Living in a conservative country I realised that there are many gaps that needs to be immediately addressed.
When in medical school I became a Chief of Obstetrics and Gynecology Student Scientific Society and since then decided to dedicate my life to advance the sexual and reproductive health of Polish women and girls and improve health worldwide through research and advocacy.

Give one or two examples of how you display leadership in your family planning work.:

- In International Federation of Medical Students Associations (IFMSA) I was a representative for SRHR issues coordinating for 1.2 million medical students worldwide from 121 countries where I was responsible for training and advocacy
- I am a principal investigator in the study funded by European Society of Contraception and Reproductive Health - POLKA18 - which is an entirely youth-led research to advance adolescent sexual and reproductive health in Poland using holistic approaches

If you are named a winner of 120 under 40, how will you use this new platform and the $1000 grant to advance your work? :

In case of receiving the $1000 grant I would use the resources to organize the multisectoral stakeholder meeting for the dissemination purposes of the adolescent sexual and reproductive health research that I am currently conducting in my home country.
The aim of the meeting would be to gather not only research academia but also NGOs, parliamentarians and media to discuss joint approaches to make advances in the Polish adolescent health landscape.

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