In Kenya, we are experiencing an increase in the number of boys dropping out of school. During a typical evening lecture session in campuses across Nairobi, most of the occupants taking these classes are women, which begs the question; where are their counterparts? Furthermore, crime rate is on the rise and the highest number of individuals behind bars mostly consists of young men. The menace of Drug and Substance abuse has never reached alarming levels as the situation stands currently. We are on the brink of a crisis if stakeholders do not make an effort to mitigate this ticking time bomb. Stakeholders in this context include the family unit, religious and learning institutions, policy makers, mentors and generally the society as a whole.
I have mentioned on different platforms that we lose objectivity when we start this conversation by arguing that the empowerment of the Girl Child came at the expense and detriment of the Boy Child. The crisis we are facing falls squarely on the failure of the men in society not playing their roles as father figures. There has always been a misconstrued notion that the measure of a man depends on his financial capabilities. Due to this social construct, for years we have witnessed men perfect the art of making money while unconsciously disregarding the basic element of spending time with their families and specifically mentoring the Boy Child. The younger men have picked up this trend and are participating in "Get-Rich-Quick-Schemes" to fulfil the misconstrued assumption that finances define them.
Developing countries are also grappling with similar challenges and complexities that are affecting the Boy Child. Young men are literally “on their own” in this world. They maneuver their way in life with little or no mentorship. The right mentors give young men platforms to learn from the most experienced and exposed members of the community who will assist them develop themselves holistically. Women have learnt to utilize this technique very well and men should borrow a leaf from them since we are at a critical moment. It is indeed true that the world has for centuries been under a patriarchal system that favored men over women. This historical development must have guided the wisdom behind creating an affirmative action agenda that focused on women empowerment. In defense of this, I strongly advocate for the empowerment of the Girl-Child and the strengthening of the Boy-Child.
It is the high time men across all social classes make deliberate efforts to salvage the Boy-Child. The first thing men need to do is admit they have failed terribly. Two, men need to deliberately develop themselves to become visible mentors in their families and communities for the sake of the Boy-Child. Such efforts will encourage them to stand by the younger ones amidst typical life challenges. For instance, I recommend the formulation of a policy that encourages vigorous mentorship programs in schools and universities driven by men of stature from all industries running the economy. Young men also need to be empowered economically to give them a sense of belonging in nation building. Furthermore, perhaps it is the high time for us to offer them similar employment opportunities through deliberate “Affirmative Action” efforts to remedy a crisis in the near future. What’s more, from as much as the family union is facing challenging dynamics in the modern world, I believe it is the high time men stand up to be counted as protectors, servants, providers, respecters of themselves and the values they uphold by creating an environment that champions the rights of the Boy-Child and his well-being.
