Hon. Given Katuta Mwelwa
BOY CHILD AN ENDANGERED SPECIES IN ZAMBIA
We often discuss issues affecting WOMEN and GIRLS and even hold conferences targeted towards rectifying these injustices.
What about BOY children who are targets for rapists (sodomists), substance abuse and murder?
How do we, as a nation, approach these issues?
It is important to note that the issue of males being sexually abused or assaulted is not a new occurrence or phenomenon in Zambia.
However, it is now that it is has attracted the attention of the public, thus creating a space for people to come out and talk about these issues. It is unfortunate, though, that many men and boys who have experienced these misfortunes do not feel free to open up about their harrowing experiences as they are either told to keep quiet about it due to their gender.
That is, it is very apparent that the African society – or to be specific – the Zambian society enforces negative gender stereotypes which call for men to not express themselves lest they be likened to a woman.
If we are truly to attain gender equality, we need to not only look out for women and girls but also consider the SAFETY of MEN and BOYS. We need to care for their psychological and physical wellbeing too.
The question now is, how? We can’t sit back and watch our future leaders being destroyed just like that.