So much has been said and done on issues that concern the girl child. The girl child has been given first priority in most of the things at home, with the boy child coming in later, and this is where all the trouble starts to develop before they even come to the reality of the outside world far from home. It begs the question, does it have to always start with the girl child?
Yes, it is true that in the past, the girl child had no voice, especially in the African communities. They were portrayed to be the servants of the male species. They were never given that chance to express their thoughts since the man had the final word for everything that concerns them. This is where it all started from…
Some few women, through their own making, came out and enlightened themselves. They then took to the front to fight for the rights of the girl child. They started seeking help from different human rights organizations which came to the rescue of the girl child, who was seen to be diminishing slowly by slowly.
A lot has been done to give the girl child her voice. Groups and activists come together with many projects that are all about helping the girl child unshackle the chains keeping her down. What about the boy child? He has been left behind to fight for himself since this is how they have always been left to do for themselves. The boy child has to fight for his own space while girls are being fought for.
A girl is more likely to open up if overwhelmed by huddles. On the other hand, a boy mostly bottles up every bit of anguish or pain. He has been brought up to not show weakness, most cultures believe a man keeps his issues to himself. Should he come out and talk about it, his peers will call him weak, he will be told to deal with it on his own, that only women cry and expect to be helped. The sad truth for their silent agony is because very few listen.
The female gender is considered to be the weaker sex. Girls are thought to lag behind in most things. In every field, a man is considered superior so that qualifying standards are lowered so that girls can fit in. This has gone as far as in the education sector where the passing marks for boys is always higher than that of girls, yet they end up being given the same positions i.e in institutions of higher learning. Girls issues are given more prominence since its assumed men can handle their issues.
Most institutions and organizations are dedicating themselves to save the baby girl. Does it mean that our boys are less important or should be left out of the society? Imagine a society without responsible young men. Where young men are indulging in immoral behaviors. Drinking beyond their limit and early sexual behaviors.
The fact that society seems more focused on the girl child is rapidly suffocating the male child. He is just as vulnerable as the girl child.
Due to society’s underestimation of the boy’s needs, they are now being subjected to various tormenting acts. He is prone to sexual assault and suffering as any other child. For solace, they are turning to vices. They need to find a way to fend for themselves or to deal with their issues. Narcotics and alcohol abuse as well as crime seem to be the way for them to do this. It is the place they can find consolation. Society sees this but brushes it off since boys will always be boys but when girls are found in such situations, activists come out guns blazing saying it’s because they have been ignored. They defend the girls and seek help for them.
An urgent action need to be taken to save this endangered species otherwise our boys are going to get written off because they are being destroyed daily by the effect of modernization and science. Go to every town, village and even any community and you will find rotten and rotting youth who completely have no sense of future. Something must be done before things are worsened.
Intervention is crucial before our young male generation gets devoured. A child is a child. It should be remembered that no gender is more superior or stronger. Girls have been the weaker sex for ages, but as they get stronger we must remember to also care for the boy. It is wrong to empower one sex at the expense of another. The boy child is also as vulnerable as the girl child.
Article by Vera Shawiza.