15 Dec 2019

First Lady Ms Neo Masisi has urged all to support efforts made by boys and men to curb gender based violence (GBV), HIV and AIDS and other social ills.

She was speaking December 13 at a luncheon hosted by the President, Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi for mentors and partners for ‘Let’s talk- men and boys’, an initiative that supports intergenerational dialogue to curb GBV, HIV/ Aids and teenage pregnancy.

She said the workshop that was held in Palapye recently represented part of the journey to discuss the role of men and boys in addressing social and cultural factors affecting society.

“Numbers have been shared, pictures have been painted and not a very good picture, it is certainly disturbing. The statistics we have been getting for GBV we need not repeat the numbers. We all know the bearers of this burden. We have been placing a lot of emphasis on women and girls because clearly they are vulnerable,” she said.

Ms Masisi said she had run initiatives such as Nna ke Naledi and Dipalameletse aimed at providing support for the girlchild, equipping them with life skills and self-awareness.

She said the Lets talk initiative was in a way a response to indicate that the boychild was not left behind.

“We should avoid a situation where the girls are empowered and the boys do not know where to start. I thought it would be useful to provide a platform to discuss issues that impact the young man’s life, a boy in Botswana, ngwana wa Motswana. It is clear that our boys have needs, aspirations and dreams. They need role models, they have fears too and own insecurities, they need to learn to express themselves,” she added.

Ms Masisi said it was clear that the role of men and boys in society was evolving and there was need to prepare boys for it. 

She said she was pleased with the commitment and pledges that boys made at the workshop as it indicated that obligations to make a better world and fight GBV and related social ills.

For his part Mr Obakeng Mmopi, who represented partners and mentors applauded the First Lady for her efforts and providing the much needed platform and bringing boys on board.

He said in order to develop a successful generation, boys needed confidence and that low self-esteem was a major challenge that contributed to GBV.

Mr Mmopi said Botswana needed men who understood their role in society.UNAIDS country director, Ms Jyothi Raja Nilaamur Kovilakam appealed to political leaders to take on board, the issue of engaging the boychild.

He pleaded with President Masisi to start a campaign on the agenda on men because young men’s engagement on efforts to fight GBV, HIV and Aids and teenage pregnancy among others was important. Ends