Boys neglected 'for 30 years' - Ndaitwah

Far-reaching effects
First Gentleman Epaphras Denga Ndaitwah has called for targeted support for boys, warning that years of social, educational and psychological neglect could affect society as a whole.
Marina Antonio
  • 2 Days Ago

Namibia’s boys and young men have experienced more than three decades of social, educational and psychological neglect, First Gentleman Epaphras Denga Ndaitwah has warned.


Speaking at the two-day Engaging Men and Boys Symposium in Windhoek last week, Ndaitwah said addressing the challenges facing boys was essential to building a more equal society.


The symposium was held under the theme ‘Power of Coordination and Collaboration’.


Ndaitwah pointed to the Third National Gender Equality and Equity Policy (2025–2035), which recognises that male students are under-represented in higher education and calls for targeted affirmative action to address the imbalance.


He said the policy also called on society to empower boys to share responsibility for protecting and uplifting girls. “The launch of the DEN Impact Foundation was prompted by the realisation of the ‘boy child crisis’ in Namibia and globally,” Ndaitwah told delegates.


“If left unaddressed, the growing social, educational and psychological neglect of boys and young men for more than three decades will weaken the very fabric of our society, boys and girls alike.”


He stressed that boys and girls had equal dignity but different needs, adding that programmes designed for girls could not simply be rebranded for boys.


Gender equality minister Emma Kantema called for government ministries and civil society organisations to better coordinate their male engagement programmes through the National Gender Coordination Mechanism.


She said stronger coordination was needed to avoid duplication and prevent the waste of resources.


The symposium brought together civil society organisations, government officials, traditional leaders and youth representatives for panel discussions, practical showcases and working sessions.


Discussions focused on setting quality standards for male engagement programmes, addressing regional increases in school dropout rates and improving coordination between community-based initiatives.


Delegates also explored ways to integrate positive masculinity into existing sexual and reproductive health, HIV and mental health programmes across all 14 regions.