Group Calls For Efforts To Save Boys From Gender-Based Violence

Like girls, boys also need to be aggressively protected from Gender-Based Violence.

This is the stance taken by a group, Connected Development (CODE).

Chief Executive of CODE, Hamzat Lawal said this at a town hall aimed to provide a platform for students from different schools to engage in a healthy debate on the topic “Boys cannot be abused”.

Lawal said that the topic `Mental Health for Boys’ was to draw attention to the plight of boys as well.

He added that mental health issues affected individuals regardless of gender, but it was often overlooked when it came to boys.

He said that there was a growing concern over the lack of attention given to the mental health of boys and the impact it had on their overall well-being.

Lawan added that it s against this backdrop, that CODE organised an inter-school debate town hall to stimulate dialogue and promote awareness on boys and mental health.

“It is a sad reality that abuse of boys is a deeply ingrained problem in our society, one that has caused untold suffering to countless individuals and families.

“It is often a subject that is shrouded in secrecy and shame, with victims feeling isolated and alone in their pain.

“But today, we are here to break that silence. We are here to discuss and explore this issue in a safe and supportive environment, and to work towards finding solutions that can help eradicate this problem from our society.

“It is only through honest and open discussions that we can hope to bring about meaningful change, by sharing our experiences, our insights, and our knowledge, we can start to build a collective understanding of this issue and take concrete steps towards addressing it,” he said.

Lawal said that there was a need for advocacy and awareness on this critical issue as boys face unique challenges when it comes to mental health, including societal expectations, cultural norms and stereotypes.

He said that these challenges often prevented them from seeking the help they need and can lead to negative outcomes such as aggression, and substance abuse amongst others.

Hamzat Lawan called for collective efforts to save boys as much as girls.

NAN