The marginalisation of the boy child
OPINION
As we pen this piece, we are cognisant of the Namibian Constitution, which promotes equality and non-discrimination. Article 10 of the Constitution affirms that “all persons shall be equal before the law” and “no person may be discriminated against on the grounds of sex, race, colour, ethnic origin, religion, creed or social or economic status.”
These words lay a strong foundation for a society that values equity and inclusivity. However, as Namibia continues to rectify the historical injustices committed against the girl child, a new imbalance appears to be emerging, and the one that risks undermining the very ideals of equality that we aim to uphold. The boy child, once presumed to be inherently advantaged, is quietly and dangerously falling behind.
During a recent motivational address at Triumphant College in Windhoek, first gentleman Lieutenant-General (Rtd) Epaphras Denga Ndaitwah remarked that “the boy-child is falling behind.”
While the girl child continues to benefit from targeted empowerment programmes that are rightly so given the past societal injustices she endured, the boy child is increasingly being neglected. In today’s Namibian media and daily reports, most of the social pathologies such as domestic violence, suicide, murder, armed robberies and other violent crimes are disproportionately associated with boys and young men. This is not a coincidence but rather a reflection of systemic neglect in addressing the needs of boys as they transition into adulthood.
Historically, the girl child has been systematically disadvantaged.
She has been denied access to education, forced into early marriages, and subjected to gender-based violence and cultural subjugation (Mlama et al., 2005). Numerous national and international policies, such as Namibia’s National Gender Policy and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), have therefore rightly focused on reversing these injustices. However, in the effort to empower the girl child, the unique challenges facing the boy child have often been overlooked.
According to Silungwe (2022), the assumption that boys are naturally resilient has led to a societal blind spot: “The boy child has been left to navigate complex social, emotional and educational landscapes with little to no support, resulting in a crisis that is both structural and psychological.”
The perception that boys are inherently capable and do not need emotional or educational support has allowed their struggles to go unaddressed.
Evidence of marginalisation
In Namibia, data from the education and youth ministry (2022) provides compelling evidence of the marginalisation of boys. The education statistics reveal a growing gender gap in academic performance and school retention rates.
For instance, in the Junior Secondary Certificate (JSC) examination results for 2021, 58% of the top-performing learners were girls, while boys comprised the majority of those who failed.
Furthermore, dropout rates among boys are higher, particularly in rural regions such as Kavango East, Ohangwena and Zambezi, where boys often leave school to herd cattle or engage in informal economic activities due to poverty and lack of parental support.
A report by the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA, 2021) confirms that boys between the ages of 15 and 24 are more likely to be unemployed, out of school and not engaged in any training, a group commonly referred to as NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training). This demographic is particularly vulnerable to engaging in high-risk behaviours such as alcohol abuse, gang involvement and criminal activities.
Tragically, graduation statistics from Namibia’s major tertiary institutions reveal a consistent gender imbalance, with a girl child outnumbering the boy child in higher education completion rates. At the University of Namibia (Unam), between 1992 and 2022, women comprised approximately 66% of all graduates (42 507 out of 64 080), while men made up only 34% (Iyambo & Vatileni, 2023).
This gap continued in 2022, where women accounted for 70% of the graduating cohort. A similar trend is observed at the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST). In 2023, 56% of NUST graduates were women, and this figure slightly increased to 57% in 2024 (Kapofi, 2023; Hiveluah, 2024). Additionally, at the 2025 graduation ceremony of the International University of Management (IUM), women comprised 73.3% of the graduates, bringing out the widening gender disparity in higher education attainment in Namibia.
Moreover, mental health data reflects the emotional and psychological distress faced by boys. According to a 2023 mental health assessment report by the health ministry, the suicide rate among Namibian males is nearly four times higher than that of females. In 2021 alone, of the 623 reported suicide cases in Namibia, 510 were male, with the majority being youth under the age of 30 (MoHSS, 2023). Equally important, more statistics indicate that, on average, Namibia records more than one suicide a day, with the vast majority, about 82%, being men (Karuuombe, 2023).
Lack of institutional support and mentorship
Despite these alarming trends, Namibia lacks sound programmes that specifically target the empowerment of the boy child. While organisations such as the Forum for African Women Educationalists in Namibia (FAWENA), Project Hope Namibia and UNICEF have implemented numerous girl-focused projects, there are very few mentorship or psychosocial programmes that address the developmental needs of boys. This has led to a scenario where boys are “learning the hard way”, as they are often socialised to be emotionally detached, aggressive and self-reliant.
As observed by Banda (2020), “without positive male role models and structured interventions, boys internalise toxic masculinity and fail to develop healthy identities.” This absence of support not only affects individual boys but poses an extensive societal risk, as these disempowered young men are more likely to become perpetrators of violence or victims of it.
Rethinking gender equity
The issue at hand is not a zero-sum game. Empowering the boy child does not mean reversing gains made in promoting girls’ rights. Rather, it is about balancing the scale and ensuring that all children, regardless of gender, are provided with the tools, opportunities and support systems they need to thrive.
The way forward demands collective effort. Parents must become more actively involved in the emotional upbringing of their sons. The Namibian government should incorporate boy-child mentorship and empowerment programmes into existing national development plans.
Non-governmental organisations (NGOs), community leaders, religious institutions and the private sector must also play an active role in creating safe spaces for boys to express themselves, learn life skills and receive guidance.
For instance, introducing school-based mentorship programmes led by trained male counsellors, organising community forums on positive masculinity and allocating funds to youth-focused psychosocial support services can make a principal difference. As one educator in Windhoek noted: “We are raising empowered girls in communities of broken boys. This imbalance will haunt us if left unaddressed.”
To end, while the empowerment of the girl child remains critical, it must not come at the expense of ignoring the developmental needs of boys. A truly equitable society is one where every child, boy or girl, is given the opportunity to flourish. As we move forward, the involvement of all stakeholders, such as families, government, NGOs and the private sector, is of paramount importance in restoring balance, nurturing responsible male citizens and advancing a more inclusive Namibia.
*Chris Enkono is a security and policy analyst, while Munyungano Musisanyani is a food security activist and social policy analyst.
These words lay a strong foundation for a society that values equity and inclusivity. However, as Namibia continues to rectify the historical injustices committed against the girl child, a new imbalance appears to be emerging, and the one that risks undermining the very ideals of equality that we aim to uphold. The boy child, once presumed to be inherently advantaged, is quietly and dangerously falling behind.
During a recent motivational address at Triumphant College in Windhoek, first gentleman Lieutenant-General (Rtd) Epaphras Denga Ndaitwah remarked that “the boy-child is falling behind.”
While the girl child continues to benefit from targeted empowerment programmes that are rightly so given the past societal injustices she endured, the boy child is increasingly being neglected. In today’s Namibian media and daily reports, most of the social pathologies such as domestic violence, suicide, murder, armed robberies and other violent crimes are disproportionately associated with boys and young men. This is not a coincidence but rather a reflection of systemic neglect in addressing the needs of boys as they transition into adulthood.
Historically, the girl child has been systematically disadvantaged.
She has been denied access to education, forced into early marriages, and subjected to gender-based violence and cultural subjugation (Mlama et al., 2005). Numerous national and international policies, such as Namibia’s National Gender Policy and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), have therefore rightly focused on reversing these injustices. However, in the effort to empower the girl child, the unique challenges facing the boy child have often been overlooked.
According to Silungwe (2022), the assumption that boys are naturally resilient has led to a societal blind spot: “The boy child has been left to navigate complex social, emotional and educational landscapes with little to no support, resulting in a crisis that is both structural and psychological.”
The perception that boys are inherently capable and do not need emotional or educational support has allowed their struggles to go unaddressed.
Evidence of marginalisation
In Namibia, data from the education and youth ministry (2022) provides compelling evidence of the marginalisation of boys. The education statistics reveal a growing gender gap in academic performance and school retention rates.
For instance, in the Junior Secondary Certificate (JSC) examination results for 2021, 58% of the top-performing learners were girls, while boys comprised the majority of those who failed.
Furthermore, dropout rates among boys are higher, particularly in rural regions such as Kavango East, Ohangwena and Zambezi, where boys often leave school to herd cattle or engage in informal economic activities due to poverty and lack of parental support.
A report by the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA, 2021) confirms that boys between the ages of 15 and 24 are more likely to be unemployed, out of school and not engaged in any training, a group commonly referred to as NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training). This demographic is particularly vulnerable to engaging in high-risk behaviours such as alcohol abuse, gang involvement and criminal activities.
Tragically, graduation statistics from Namibia’s major tertiary institutions reveal a consistent gender imbalance, with a girl child outnumbering the boy child in higher education completion rates. At the University of Namibia (Unam), between 1992 and 2022, women comprised approximately 66% of all graduates (42 507 out of 64 080), while men made up only 34% (Iyambo & Vatileni, 2023).
This gap continued in 2022, where women accounted for 70% of the graduating cohort. A similar trend is observed at the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST). In 2023, 56% of NUST graduates were women, and this figure slightly increased to 57% in 2024 (Kapofi, 2023; Hiveluah, 2024). Additionally, at the 2025 graduation ceremony of the International University of Management (IUM), women comprised 73.3% of the graduates, bringing out the widening gender disparity in higher education attainment in Namibia.
Moreover, mental health data reflects the emotional and psychological distress faced by boys. According to a 2023 mental health assessment report by the health ministry, the suicide rate among Namibian males is nearly four times higher than that of females. In 2021 alone, of the 623 reported suicide cases in Namibia, 510 were male, with the majority being youth under the age of 30 (MoHSS, 2023). Equally important, more statistics indicate that, on average, Namibia records more than one suicide a day, with the vast majority, about 82%, being men (Karuuombe, 2023).
Lack of institutional support and mentorship
Despite these alarming trends, Namibia lacks sound programmes that specifically target the empowerment of the boy child. While organisations such as the Forum for African Women Educationalists in Namibia (FAWENA), Project Hope Namibia and UNICEF have implemented numerous girl-focused projects, there are very few mentorship or psychosocial programmes that address the developmental needs of boys. This has led to a scenario where boys are “learning the hard way”, as they are often socialised to be emotionally detached, aggressive and self-reliant.
As observed by Banda (2020), “without positive male role models and structured interventions, boys internalise toxic masculinity and fail to develop healthy identities.” This absence of support not only affects individual boys but poses an extensive societal risk, as these disempowered young men are more likely to become perpetrators of violence or victims of it.
Rethinking gender equity
The issue at hand is not a zero-sum game. Empowering the boy child does not mean reversing gains made in promoting girls’ rights. Rather, it is about balancing the scale and ensuring that all children, regardless of gender, are provided with the tools, opportunities and support systems they need to thrive.
The way forward demands collective effort. Parents must become more actively involved in the emotional upbringing of their sons. The Namibian government should incorporate boy-child mentorship and empowerment programmes into existing national development plans.
Non-governmental organisations (NGOs), community leaders, religious institutions and the private sector must also play an active role in creating safe spaces for boys to express themselves, learn life skills and receive guidance.
For instance, introducing school-based mentorship programmes led by trained male counsellors, organising community forums on positive masculinity and allocating funds to youth-focused psychosocial support services can make a principal difference. As one educator in Windhoek noted: “We are raising empowered girls in communities of broken boys. This imbalance will haunt us if left unaddressed.”
To end, while the empowerment of the girl child remains critical, it must not come at the expense of ignoring the developmental needs of boys. A truly equitable society is one where every child, boy or girl, is given the opportunity to flourish. As we move forward, the involvement of all stakeholders, such as families, government, NGOs and the private sector, is of paramount importance in restoring balance, nurturing responsible male citizens and advancing a more inclusive Namibia.
*Chris Enkono is a security and policy analyst, while Munyungano Musisanyani is a food security activist and social policy analyst.
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