BONGANI MALUNGA
The First Lady of Botswana, Kaone Boko, has called for increased focus on empowering the boy child, warning that neglect could contribute to future social instability, including violence and marginalisation.
Speaking at the UNICEF Botswana CEOs Council for Child Rights Forum in Gaborone last week, she stressed that efforts to uplift girls must be matched with targeted interventions for boys to ensure balanced child development and healthier societies.
MEN MENTAL HEALTH
In a related statement, Botswana Nurses Union chairperson and Secretary of the National Executive Committee Gender Committee, Cynthia Richard, warned that
She urged society to break harmful stereotypes around masculinity and encourage early help seeking, noting that “stoicism culture” discourages men from accessing care despite evidence that men account for nearly 80 percent of global suicides.
The union called for open conversations, therapy normalisation and peer support systems to improve wellbeing among men and boys. Richard added that empowering the boy child must include mental health education and emotional literacy from an early age.