25 Jun 2024

Men have been implored to engage in affirmative dialogues on their mental health and entire wellbeing.

Giving a motivational address at a men’s roundtable on mental health in Kasane yesterday, First Lady Neo Masisi emphasised the importance of actively engaging in groups and societies that advocated for men’s health.

She said it was essential that men adopted a proactive approach on issues that were paramount to their own wellbeing.

“I urge all men to stand up and be counted because your families and community need you, but mostly you owe it to yourselves to be champions of men’s health,” she said.

Ms Masisi said the roundtable was meant to spark conversations among men in Chobe District and provide a platform for fruitful discussions.

Furthermore, she said the forum allowed men to express themselves openly and come up with solutions to issues they faced.

She said mental health contributed to economic growth in that a fit mindset, healthy body and spirituality cultivated productivity.

Ms Masisi stated that relationship stress and financial strain were the leading factors of an unhealthy mental state hence she called on members of the public to open up about such issues.

The First Lady pointed out that her office through the Organisation of African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD) was committed to addressing social issues such as gender-based violence(GBV), drug abuse, sexual violence, relationship between young girls and older men.

 Chobe MP, who is also Minister of Justice, Mr Machana Shamukuni thanked the First Lady for championing girl-child welfare campaign termed ‘Eseng mo Ngwaneng’ aimed at protecting a girl children against any form of violence.

He said statistics had shown that in most cases of abuse women and girls were victims while men were perpetrators hence anti GBV campaigns were centered around women and girls, noting that in recent years they expanded to include men.

He said dialogues such as the roundtable were important because they converged political, traditional and spiritual leaders together with all other men to talk freely and come up with solutions to men’s wellbeing.

In his appreciation remarks on behalf of men sector, Bishop Amos Phuduhudu thanked Ms Masisi for dialoguing with them on critical issues affecting men.

He emphasised the importance for people to love one another unconditionally as the Holy Bible encourages husbands to love their  wives and wives to submit to their husbands.

He said love must be detached from material things like money for relationships to be resilient.

Kasane court president, Kgosi Thuso Wasetso appreciated First Lady for engaging in a dialogue with men, noting that many times forums were dedicated to women.

He said research had indicated that Chobe District was a hotspot for GBV which tarnished the image of the district as a tourism hub.

Kgosi Wasetso encouraged men to access services availed to them like HIV testing, counselling and also urged them to seek help from men sector committees to eradicate the scourge of suicide.ENDS