Boy child: NGO seeks holistic approach to gender equality
A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Teach A Boychild Project, on Thursday challenged the society to refocus and embrace a holistic approach to promoting gender equality and inclusivity.
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The project’s convener, Ms Ayobami Abdulyekeen, said this while speaking with the Newsmen in Lagos as the world celebrates the International Day of the Boy Child.
The day is celebrated annually on May 16, and focuses on boys and their well-being; their needs to feel happy, healthy, and valued within the family and community.
Abdulyekeen called for efforts to achieve a gender-balanced society by empowering both genders, adding that neglecting the needs and struggles of the boy child would be harmful to society.
“We are in a society where attention is on the girl child which is making the boy child feel neglected. If we want to achieve a balanced society, we need to empower the girl child and the boy child at the same time,” she said.
Abdulyekeen, a sexual health educator, advocated for improved health and well-being of the boy child through educating, empowering, and creating a safe space for him.
“The boy child needs to be educated, and this education shouldn’t be limited to the Mathematics and English curriculum that happens in the classroom. As a sexual health educator, boys need to be educated about their body, the importance of good body hygiene, and the like,” she said.
Abdulyekeen stressed the need to give the boy child a voice and make him feel included.
“We need to create a ‘speak and listen’ platform for boys to be able to voice out their complaints and worries. Society has painted men (boys) as mannequins that shouldn’t complain, cry, and always have to be strong,” she said.
She appealed to parents to give more attention to the boy child and create avenues at home for him to be bold and speak out when hurt, happy, or excited.
“Let’s refrain from using words like, ‘You’re a man’; ‘Stop behaving like a baby’; ‘Boys don’t cook’; ‘Boys don’t do this and that. Let’s give them the choice to be themselves without restrictions – that doesn’t mean we can’t instill godly values in them,” she said.
NAN/Wumi
