Copyright weekendpost
Botswana has witnessed notable progress in gender equality over the past twenty years, yet there is a growing concern that boys and young men are increasingly being left out of this advance. Emerging data, both from local and global sources, signals widening gaps in boys’ education, mental health, and social well-being—triggering calls from experts for a more nuanced and inclusive approach to gender policy. In an interview with WeekendPost, Thabile Samboma, a Research Fellow at the Botswana Institute for Development Policy Analysis (BIDPA), acknowledged the successes of Botswana’s gender policies in empowering women and girls but highlighted a critical shortfall: these frameworks “only partially consider the specific challenges faced by boys and young men.” She pointed out that landmark documents like the National Gender Policy (2015) and the National Policy on Gender and Development predominantly concentrate on women’s advancement, while offering “limited reference to boys’ underperformance in school, mental health vulnerabilities, or social challenges such as violence, substance abuse, and the absence of positive male role models.” The concerns highlighted by Samboma find strong echoes in UNICEF Botswana’s 2023 Country Report and the 2025 Gender Equality Assessment. Both reports reveal that boys are struggling academically and are increasingly exposed to violence and social disengagement. Data from UNICEF starkly illustrates this disparity: 46% of boys in Botswana have endured physical violence compared to 28% of girls, and many boys lack access to early childhood education—a foundation pivotal for their lifelong development. This phenomenon is not confined to Botswana. Broader United Nations research highlights a similar global pattern: boys are less likely to seek help for mental health challenges, more susceptible to behavioural difficulties, and face rising risks of social exclusion. Samboma remarks, “There is growing evidence, both globally and in Botswana, showing that boys are increasingly being left behind.” She references studies such as Gender and Achievement in Botswana’s Basic Education, which reveal that boys consistently lag behind girls in junior secondary school, hindered by poor learning environments, behavioural issues, and a lack of motivation. Addressing this imbalance, Samboma urges policymakers to “move from a women-focused to a gender-responsive framework.” She advocates for bolstering data collection systems to better capture sex-disaggregated evidence, crafting social programmes that re-engage boys without compromising resources for girls, and fostering positive masculinity through mentorship initiatives. “Cultural expectations of masculinity play a significant role in shaping boys’ disengagement and vulnerability,” she explains, noting that rigid traditional ideals around toughness and emotional stoicism often prevent boys from expressing their vulnerabilities or seeking support. For Botswana to advance a genuinely inclusive gender agenda, Samboma recommends updating existing policies, expanding early intervention programmes targeting boys, and actively involving communities, traditional leaders (Bogosi), and faith-based organizations. “Gender equality should be reframed as mutual empowerment,” she concludes, “ensuring that interventions uplift girls while also addressing the growing vulnerabilities among boys.” As the United Nations pushes countries toward gender-transformative approaches that acknowledge and integrate both female and male experiences, Botswana stands at a crossroads. Its progress toward genuine equality may well hinge on embracing a vision of fairness that sees gender not as a zero-sum game, but as a shared journey toward balanced, inclusive development.
