• Report indicates men's character continues to deteriorate, leading to increased crime, suicides and breakup of families
• Study says the productivity of men will be greatly affected should nothing be done to change their worsening behaviors
Image: Alice Waithera
National government officers in Kahuro subcounty, Murang'a, have launched a behaviour change programme targetting young men.
Deputy county commissioner Wilberforce Kilonzo said their objective is to empower men and male youth to manage their own lives.
The programme will help bring men together to learn best practices from each other, community role models, religious leaders, local professionals and other experts.
The officers say men must understand their place in society.
A recent study showed that a significant number of men from the region have failed to live up to society's expectations.
The result has been increased crime rates, family breakups, conflicts and sexual assaults, among other problems.
The study conducted between November 2016 and September last year suggested that unless drastic measures were taken, the subcounty would lose significant contribution to societal development.
It said the majority of the youth in the area have become alcoholics and drug addicts and that has ruined their socio-economic lives.
“A sizeable number of men have lost control of their families and male youth have become a mere liability to their families,” the report says.
It also details unwillingness by men and male youth to engage in meaningful economic activities.
The initiative will help in establishing a self-sustaining community programme that will be spearheaded by chiefs and will bring together stakeholders with different backgrounds from each location.
“The programme will enable us to mobilise local resources to operationalise it, but we welcome external interventions to scale up its impact,” Kilonzo said.
They have held one meeting in each of the 21 locations to validate the findings of the study and establish the way forward.
Some 67 professionals from the subcounty have been identified and have formed a secretariat of 12 experts that will work closely with the administrators to improve and roll out the strategy.
Some 1,365 men facing serious behavioural challenges have been identified by the administrators with the help of grassroots leaders.
Monthly meetings have been included in the national government administration's calendar about events in the subcounty.
Kilonzo said a positive change has been noted since the programme was started.
He urged the community to stop condemning victims and instead support them to overcome the challenges.