Belgian Muslim Groups Oppose Mandatory Sex Education in Schools

On Thursday, the draft decree validating the cooperation agreement between the governments of the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles, the Walloon Region and the French Community Commission on the generalization of education on relational, affective and sexual life was unanimously approved in the plenary session of the parliament of the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles, with three abstentions from Les Engagés (René Collin, Pierre Kompany and Mathilde Vandorpe), reports Belga. This decree implies that all students in the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles from 6th grade and 4th secondary will receive a two-hour animation on education on relational, affective and sexual life (Evras) throughout the school year. The students concerned number 85,000 in Wallonia and 25,000 in Brussels.

The day before, Muslim representatives displayed their opposition to these courses. In a statement signed by the Diyanet of Belgium, the Islamic Federation of Belgium, the Federation of Albanian Mosques of Belgium, the Associations of African Mosques of Belgium, the Union of Mosques of Liège, the Bosnian Islamic Community of Belgium and the Turkish Islamic Cultural Associations Ehli-Beyt, they denounced a decision that seems to them "to go against the universal and inviolable values of the framework of family education and the interests of students and their families."

And to conclude: "We will remain vigilant and continue to defend the right of families to choose the education that best suits their children, while ensuring open and respectful communication on this delicate subject."