Zambia: The government of Zambia has urged community development stakeholders to come up with projects similar to Keeping girls in School (KGS), tailored towards supporting boys. The administration has seen the success rate of the KGS programmes which have benefited the girls significantly.
The officials have shared that they want to replicated the same success with the boys of the community. The officials have shared that it is their responsibility to support and encourage boys in a similar way to the girls.
As a result, the officials have appealed to stakeholders and well-meaning sponsors to develop deliberate programmes. The Keeping Girls in School ( KGS ) is a programme being run with the support and encouragement of the World Bank.
The government believes that the community needs urgent action in this regard and boys should have a support programme. According to the administration of Zambia neglecting the boys can have long-term devastating effects
Gender Division Permanent Secretary in the Office of the President at Cabinet Office, Mainga Kabika says neglecting a boy child will only lead to an increase in social vices such as substance abuse, increased crime rate, high divorce rates, GBV and other negative outcomes.
Kabika says as a Division, they acknowledge that the boy child has not been given the much needed attention as much as a girl child, a matter which has been of great concern for some time now.
“ The Gender Division recognises the success of Keeping Girls in School under GEWEL Project in supporting the empowerment of girls in Zambia but we call upon various stakeholders international, continental, Regional and local to partner with the Gender Division office and develop a project like KGS but focusing on Boys,” she said.
Furthermore, Kabika said having been cognizant of the fact that KGS beneficiaries are drawn from very vulnerable and poor homes, the same applies to boys who come from poor homes but are left behind.
“It is therefore essential that we address the needs of all children, regardless of Gender, to create a more equitable and sustainable society.