Celebrating World Day Of The Boy Child

WORLD DAY OF THE BOY CHILD celebrates all the positive elements that boys bring to their families and communities. It also highlights the issues and challenges that boys face as they develop.

Too many of our boys are invisible and forgotten. Each child whether boy or girl is important and in this race of life, nobody should be left behind.

It is within this context that the first observance of the “WORLD DAY OF THE BOY-CHILD” was observed on 16 May 2018, foundered by Dr. Jerome Teelucksingh of Trinidad and Tobago.

Since 2012, the United Nations marks 11 October as the “International Day of the Girl Child“. The obvious question is – why have we not dedicated a day that focuses on the Boy-Child? We must not allow the continued imbalance of the gender scale. We cannot ignore that without a focus on the girl-child as well as the boy-child, gender equality is not a reality.

There are many young boys who are marginalized, neglected, alienated and left behind. That is why we have to do something for our boys before it is too late.

Boys enrolment in primary and Secondary schools are on the decline. Boy school dropout is skyrocketing.

In the media today, there are regular incidents in which misguided young boys are involved in fraud, alcoholism, drug addictions, robbery, and violence.

These can be attributed to lack of attention, care, guidance and support for the boy-child and his development and general well-being.

Today, the onus is on us to focus some of our attention on raising boys also right to have more responsible and real gentlemen to help curb the menace of domestic violence, rape, robbery, etc., and thereby eradicate violence of all forms, especially against women and children who are the most vulnerable.

#WorldDayOfTheBoyChild #WDBC #16thMay #BoysTooMatter #BoyChildMatters

Helena Adutwumwaa

Founder, Concern for the Boy-Child Initiative Ghana

Ghana Cordinator, World Day of the Boy Child