Kilifi Mums Community Based Organisation (CBO) has launched yet another organization to champion the rights of the boychild.
Kilifi Boychild Empowerment Network is to help young boys who are suffering in silence.
Kilifi Mums CBO chairperson Kibibi Ali said several cases of boys being sodomized and abused have been reported to their office.
She said for many years, concentration has been on the empowerment of the girl child at the expense of the boy child.
“The boychild has been neglected. We have all along been concentrating on the girls but the boys are suffering too. We have over-empowered the girls now it’s time to empower the boys. Last year we received five cases where young boys were sodomized. Several cases go unreported,” she said
For a long time, girl child rights have been on the peak to be addressed leaving behind a boychild who alternatively has rights to be looked upon.
Kilifi Boychild Empowerment chairperson Birya Menza said that the objective of the organization is to raise the voice of the boychild and ensure there is no gender discrimination in Kilifi.
“Mentorship sessions are arranged for girl child while the boy child is put aside. There are very few programs that target the empowerment of boys in Kilifi. This has led to the silent suffering of the boy child,” he said.
On the matter of gender-based violence, he highlighted that injustices meted on the boy child are not taken seriously compared to that of a girl child, thus making the boy child hopeless, depressed, and may end up committing suicide.
“There is a misconception that a boy child is not supposed to cry or even complain because he is a man, yet he sometimes goes through problems that may require him to speak out and get assistance. Because of this perception, most boys will suffer in silence and eventually sink into depression,” he said.
He stressed the need to educate the boychild to uphold moral standards.
He called on the government to support the boychild just like the girlchild.
Mahmoud Hambal, from the Kenya Muslim Youth Alliance, reiterated that the boychild is going through multiple challenges that push them into indulging in several vices, such as terrorism and drug abuse, among others.
He pleaded with the government and other organizations to support the boy child.
He also condemned the unequal distribution of educational opportunities, saying that girls have higher chances than boys.
“During interviews to help students who need education support, a high number of chances is given to girls. For example, if the organization needs twenty students, then fifteen positions will be directed to girls while five to boys which is unfair and if the trend continues like this then most of our boys will be left uneducated,” he added.
Kilifi Township Secondary School Principal Charo Ali said that the boychild has always been a victim of peer pressure.
He challenged parents to stand and support their children by having time to mentor them and listen to them in case of a problem.
“Information is power, if you do not empower them by words of encouragement and hope they will get lost in the wicked environment that is a distraction,” he said.
