Social and technological developments have profoundly impacted the way young people approach the issue of sexuality in Beni, North Kivu province. The rise of new information and communication technologies has exposed young people to increasingly early sexual knowledge. However, despite these advances, sexuality often remains a taboo subject within families, confronting parents and children with a complex dilemma between tradition and modernity.
In many families in Beni, discussing sexuality remains a delicate or even avoided task. Communication on this sensitive subject is often limited or absent in many homes. When children ask questions about reproduction or sexuality, the answers are often vague and tinged with embarrassment, reflecting the difficulty parents have in addressing this important subject in the face of tradition and modesty.
The refusal or difficulty in talking about sexuality with children can be attributed to various factors, including heightened modesty, cultural barriers and the lack of preparation of parents to approach these delicate subjects. This creates a real divide in parent-child communication, making it difficult to transmit essential knowledge for the health and well-being of young people.
However, voices are being heard to encourage open and sincere dialogue around sexuality within families. Some parents, such as Maguy Panza, acknowledge the challenges but recognize the importance of breaking the silence. For her part, Riziki Masika testifies to the benefits of dialogue with her mother on sexuality, emphasizing the importance of protecting oneself and setting limits.
Education specialists call for greater openness and constant dialogue on issues related to sexuality. Liliane Musavuli, through her work within the NGO Femme leaders pour le progrès de la jeune fille (FELP/JF), highlights the importance of raising awareness among young people from a young age to promote responsible sexuality and prevent harmful consequences.
Indeed, with the advent of new technologies and easy access to information, children are exposed to sexual content from a young age. Schools, social networks and the city in general are becoming spaces for discovering and learning about sexuality, recalling the urgency of a comprehensive education adapted to these new challenges.
In conclusion, parent-child communication on sexuality in Beni represents a major challenge between tradition and modernity. It is imperative to promote an open, caring and informed dialogue to support young people in their sexual and emotional development, in order to enable them to adopt responsible behaviors and prevent the risks associated with unsupervised sexuality.