Since February 2023, the situation of many women and girls has pushed young Congolese Yann Mboungou to initiate his first actions in sexual and reproductive health. This is how he launched his program called “I live without shame” on March 25, 2023. He was very touched to most often meet young girls sometimes forced to resort to sexual relations to obtain money in order to buy sanitary pads or use mattress pieces due to lack of access to sanitary pads.
“We became aware of the urgency to act,” Yann reveals. He then set up the “I live without shame” program which promotes awareness-raising activities for young people on issues related to sex education, sexual and reproductive health, violence against women and men and the fight against menstrual poverty in the Republic of Congo.
After several actions carried out in rural and urban areas, “I live without shame” is now a reference for young people who lack access to information on sexual and reproductive health in the Republic of Congo, which allowed Yann to be chosen like an intruder in all the women’s portraits produced by the Delegation of the European Union to Congo in partnership with the French Institute of Congo and the French Embassy in Congo thanks to actions it carries out regarding access to women to better menstrual hygiene through its program to show that women’s rights also concern men as part of Women’s Month, March 7, 2024. “This allowed me to become the very first man in the Republic of Congo to participate in a roundtable discussion that talks about the impressive stories of women in the Republic of Congo who are making a difference through inspiring initiatives,” he says.
In addition, Yann obtained a certificate of recognition as the only man selected for the 5th intergenerational retreat of the “African Women Leaders Network” on October 1, 2023. “I had the privilege of being mentioned among the men who promote positive masculinity on the continent by Her Excellency Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, President of Liberia and Nobel Peace Prize laureate and by Ms. Beneta Diop, women’s rights activist and special envoy of the African Union Commission for women, peace and security,” he enthuses.
Since September 12, 2023, Yann is the only male activist and influencer chosen to participate in the “Our Voice, Our Future” campaign with European External Action Service in collaboration with the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Congo. “On December 19, 2023, I was selected campaign champion by European External Action Service thanks to my initiated actions and the impact of my program.”
It should be noted that Yann Mboungou’s “I live without shame” program leads a complicated fight that requires passion and determination as well as it is not easy to talk openly about menstruation and sex to young people following Congolese customs. “But in view of the increasing number of early pregnancies despite contraceptive methods and the lack of access to sex education for young people in school and rural areas where access to information remains very limited, it was urgent to break the silence and taboos around this issue because early pregnancies are often the cause of young girls stopping their studies and seeing their dreams disappear along the way,” he concludes.
