09 Jul 2024

Although men and boys did not heed the invitation for the meeting in droves, as per expectations of speakers, those who attended received a clarion call to action regarding their health and wellbeing amongst a plethora of concerns and challenges to be addressed.

Men especially, were challenged to be torchbearers of a healthy society where boys and girls were raised as equals.

This move, it is anticipated, would put to an end an imbalanced society where one gender is considered superior than the other.

Speakers at the community dialogue for vulnerability of men and boys on social ills led by faith communities united for health, posited that when boys and girls were raised as equals, chances of the former terrorising the latter especially with gender -based violence could diminish.

The most significant change speakers called for should start with men.

When men changed and appreciated women as equals in the society, put their ears down to the issues affecting boys and girls, the society is expected to change drastically in matters of GBV inter alia, they said.

Boy children in attendance showed that men have created a concrete and sound-proof wall between themselves hence the difficulties in identifying the needs of a boy child.

Also, because men have grown deaf to the silent cries of boys especially, the former could not read the mood of the latter and be able to discern their concerns, a skill that is reportedly in abundance in women.

Consequently, men were beseeched to demolish the barrier walls they have erected between themselves and the needs of society in general.

 Assistant Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Mr Mabuse Pule said although Botswana recorded its first known HIV/AIDS case in 1985, men have since been treating the disease without the seriousness it deserved. 

He attributed this lack of seriousness to the attitude of men towards health and other societal issues. 

As he rallied men to shun GBV and its associates, Mr Pule called men and boys to a healthy society where they tested for various ailments without fear or timidity. 

“You must shun this long-held belief that monna ke selepe and focus on one woman,” said Mr Pule.

The assistant minister said statistics from Bobirwa District Council’s community and social development, showed that over 657 children were defiled, 312 were raped in 2022. 

While challenging men to play a very significant role in the upbringing of both the boy and girl child, Mr Mpho Moruakgomo of BOFABONETHA said that although children were a product of both a father and mother, many boys lacked a father figure in their lives.

This claim was affirmed by boy children in attendance, saying their mothers understood them better because they could read their moods as they were ever present parents.

Mr Moruakgomo encouraged the boys to carve their future whilst they still had tools in their hands.

“The future is yours and if you miss sculpting it at secondary school then you’re finished,” he said.

Men were also implored to be fathers to all children because raising only theirs would breed an imbalanced society.

Lauding the first of its kind meeting that sought to address men and boys on social ills, Kgosi Joel Masilo commended BOFABONETHA for their drive towards focusing on men and boys.

He said that although focus had been on women and girls justifiably because the two had been disadvantaged in a long time, he thought the move ended up leaving a boy child behind.

It was against this backdrop that Kgosi Masilo believed the societal imbalance may obtain. 

Kgosi Masilo was optimistic the approach could help raise responsible men in society. Ends