As the world marks the International Day of The Boy Child, themed, “Building Self-esteem in Boys: Stand Up, Be Heard, Be Seen”, the Federal Government is asking every family, every school, every faith institution, and every policy table, should pay attention to the development of the boy child.
In a statement by her Special Adviser on Media & Publicity, Mr Jonathan Eze, the Nigerian Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim called on families to listen, and raise the boy child with purpose and tenderness, courage and care.
“Today, as the sun rises across our great Nation, Nigeria; from the creeks of the Niger-Delta to the hills of the North, from the villages of the East to the bustling towns of the West; we turn our hearts and focus to the boy-child; often seen, yet not always heard; always expected to be strong, but rarely given the room to simply be whole.
“The International Day of the Boy Child is more than a calendar event for me as the Minister of Women Affairs; it is a call. A call to see our boys, to hear them, to raise them with purpose and tenderness, courage and care.
“As the National Mechanism for the advancement of Women, Children, Families and other vulnerable groups in the country, the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs bears the sacred duty to ensure that no child is forgotten or forsaken in our national journey. Under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, we are advancing a powerful truth: inclusive development must begin at the foundation, with the family, the child, and the community.
“Through our programmes on family cohesion and community empowerment, we are sowing seeds in the soil of all 774 Local Government Areas. These seeds are for the boy-child who dreams beneath a leaking roof. For the boy silenced by the fear of ridicule. For the boy told that real men do not cry. In this transformative journey, we are here to rewrite that story”.
