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Forgotten gender: Why we should stand up for the Kenyan boy child
The future of Kenya depends on all its children—boys and girls. If we aspire to be a nation where every child has the chance to succeed, we must ensure that the boy child is not left behind.
In Kenya, the dialogue surrounding gender equality and child development focuses on empowering girls, which is certainly warranted given the historical barriers they faced in education, health, and economic opportunities, among others.
However, it’s essential to consider another group largely overlooked in this conversation: the boy child.
Although girls have made commendable progress, boys in Kenya encounter a distinct set of unrecognised challenges. Addressing these struggles is crucial to fostering an environment where all children succeed.
The educational landscape in Kenya has been a primary target for gender-based initiatives, and rightly so.
Efforts aimed at boosting girls’ school enrolment and retention have paid off, resulting in girls now outnumbering boys in secondary and tertiary education. This is a significant achievement in a nation where women’s and girls’ rights were historically sidelined.
However, the widening educational gap between the genders raises concerns. Recent Kenya National Bureau of Statistics data reveal that boys lag in crucial areas such as literacy, numeracy, and graduation rates.
Boys face higher dropout rates, underperform in exams, and find themselves in the informal labour market. Poverty and escalating education costs disproportionately affect boys, while girls benefit from targeted scholarships and support mechanisms that help them stay in school.
To effectively support the boy child, we must challenge these outdated notions of masculinity. A movement that encourages a healthy, positive understanding of masculinity is essential—one that allows boys to be strong yet kind, vulnerable, and emotionally intelligent.
This movement should prioritise education, mental health, and the dismantling of harmful gender norms. Boys must be encouraged to voice their thoughts, seek help, and embrace vulnerability as strength. Collaboration with parents, schools, and communities is vital to establishing robust support systems that enable boys to thrive academically, emotionally, and socially.
The future of Kenya depends on all its children—boys and girls. If we aspire to be a nation where every child has the chance to succeed, we must ensure that the boy child is not left behind.
It’s time to raise our voices, increase awareness, and support boys in the same manner as girls. Only then can we cultivate an equitable society where every child flourishes.
The writer is a Public Relations Manager at MultiChoice Kenya and facilitator at ManEnough
