Join In Our National Wide Campaign to Save the Boy Child

It is time we stop asking what is happening to the boy child in Kenya and engage in affirmative actions to arrest the boy child crisis in Kenya. It is time we focus our efforts to programs that ensures gender equity.

We must stand up and stop some stereotyped believes that boy child is strong and can service on his own. This old time perception about men as a strong gender is now working against our boy child and men in general.

When releasing the KCSE results for 2016 Education Cabinet secretary Matiangi revealed some shocking statistics that among the 20 top students 16 were girls and only 4 are boys. The messages in the social and electronic media are evidence of a shocked society and the Key Question raised is “what is happening to the boy child?”

The truth of the matter is that Kenyans are reactionary and not proactive. I see much hypocrisy since there are many empirical studies that have done on the challenges facing the boy child in various parts of Kenya. However, our leaders don’t pay attention to the recommendations make by researchers. This is the time to tell truth the boy child issue is a “national crisis” that is deeper than just low enrolment in education low performance in national exams both at primary and secondary levels.

The long term effect of neglecting the boy child can not be underrated in our society. Imagine of strong women and mothers in families with weak husbands and fathers. Already this is happening where men who are ironically perceived as strong gender are unable to offer leadership in their families and can not shape their children especially boys as role models.

As researcher I believe this problem need to be addressed from the roots. There is no need of focusing symptoms of the boy child crisis like poor academic performance, drugs and substance abuse, joining terror groups, sexual abuse and school dropout rate among others. Our focus should be developing long term remedies buy addressing the real problems affecting the boy child in our country from the roots.

The current boy child crisis in Kenya is our own creation. We must refocus on our retrogressive socialization of the the boy child. It is outdated to socialize a boy child with fallacies such as boys are the strong gender and it is unacceptable to express his negative emotions and weaknesses. As counselling psychologist I have observed that many men as well as boy child suffer silently. They can not cry or accept they are challenged for fear of being perceived weak.

It time to accept that such stereotypes are outdated in our contemporary world where gender equality is a reality. There is no need of making the boy child grow with fake self imposed confidence when in reality the inside is full of frustrations. Gender equity is the practice of fairness and justice in the distribution of benefits access and control of resources, responsibilities, power,opportunities and services. This must happen to both boys and girls.

Empirical studies have identified many challenges that are affecting the boy child in Kenya that need to be addressed in empowering the boy child. They innclude
1. Retrogressive cultural believes and practices
2. Early marriages
3. Unemployment
4. Parents negligence and don’t care attitudes
5. Lack of elders to mentor the boy child
6. Single parenting
7. Absent fathers
8. Drugs and substance abuse
9. Negative parents attitudes affects boys transitions
10. HIV/AIDS
11. Social activities such as pool, discos and vedios
12. Lack of political good will among our leaders to support affirmative programs for the boy child.
13. Negative peer pressure
14. Over emphasis on the girl child instead of inclusive approaches to ensure gender equity.

My request to my fellow men in leadership in government, corporate organizations, religious organizations and ngos , Ministry of education among others it is time to act to safe our own gender. We need strong future fathers and leaders to inherit our leadership as men. No more silence.

Those willing to partner with Counselling Research Institute of Kenya can contact Program coordinator info@crikeonline.org
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Call 0729156200

Charity begin at home.