Public Forum

The IUGA Public Forum has started to raise awareness about the prevention and treatment options and to get women talking about a topic that is often uncomfortable or considered taboo. IUGA began offering a Public Forum program to the public each year in the location of its Annual Meeting in 2011. The first IUGA Public Forum was provided in 2011 in Lisbon, Portugal.  Since that first program, IUGA has held Public Forums in Brisbane, Australia; Dublin, Ireland; Nice, France; Cape Town, South Africa; Vancouver, Canada; and Vienna, Austria.

In 2023, the 48th IUGA Annual Meeting was held in The Hague, the Netherlands. As part of the meeting, IUGA organized the Public Forum “Bekkenbodembal” in collaboration with the Dutch patient organization Bekkenbodem4All.

This informative theatrical performance addressed pelvic floor disorders in an accessible and engaging way. Through a combination of expert information, humor, and entertainment, the audience learned more about the prevention and treatment of pelvic floor conditions. The performance also created space for recognition and open discussion of topics that many women still find sensitive or difficult to address.