Online Reporter
Chaka Ruzvidzo
THE global community commemorated the World Day of the Boy Child, also known internationally as International Boys Day or International Day of the Boy Child, under the theme “Boys to Men: Adopting Good Habits and Attitudes” on 16 May.
It is both fitting and urgent that Zimbabwe, alongside 41 nations across the globe, pauses to examine the true condition of the boy child in homes, schools, churches, communities, workplaces, sporting spaces and digital environments.
While significant progress has been made globally in advancing human rights and protecting vulnerable groups, many boys continue to confront emotional neglect, violence, harmful social expectations, substance abuse, educational exclusion, exploitation, depression, peer pressure and identity confusion. Society often demands toughness before humanity, performance before healing, and silence before expression.
The result is that many boys grow into emotionally disconnected young men who struggle to process pain, resolve conflict peacefully, build healthy relationships or seek help when overwhelmed by life’s pressures.
The World Day of the Boy Child was inaugurated in 2018 by Dr Jerome Teelucksingh of Trinidad and Tobago — the distinguished academic and humanitarian who also founded International Men’s Day. Since its establishment, the observance has evolved into a global movement advocating the protection, empowerment, mentorship and holistic development of boys, particularly those who are vulnerable or marginalised.
Earlier this year, on 25 February 2026, I was honoured to be appointed by Dr Teelucksingh as the High Commissioner for International Men’s Day and World Day of the Boy Child in Zimbabwe. This appointment, documented in an official letter from The University of the West Indies, carries not ceremonial significance, but a national and moral responsibility to foster honest and constructive conversations around boys, men, families and communities in ways that strengthen society and promote long-term wellbeing.
The 2026 theme, “Boys to Men: Adopting Good Habits and Attitudes,” arrives at a critical point in local and global conversations about child development. Habits shape destinies, attitudes shape behaviour, and the values boys adopt in childhood often determine the men they become.
If society genuinely desires responsible, compassionate and productive men tomorrow, it must intentionally raise responsible, emotionally intelligent and morally grounded boys today through mentorship, discipline, emotional literacy, accountability and positive role modelling. Boys do not automatically become good men simply by growing older. Healthy masculinity must be nurtured through the collective efforts of families, schools, churches, mentors and institutions that deliberately teach empathy, self-control, honesty, resilience and responsibility.
“You don’t raise heroes, you raise sons, and if you treat them like sons, they’ll turn out to be heroes, even if it’s just in your own eyes,” said Walter Schirra, Sr.
Let us state plainly what many have been reluctant to acknowledge: there is a crisis facing our boys. It has deepened because boys have been silenced by a culture that equates emotional expression with weakness and vulnerability with failure. Available statistics, limited as they are, reveal rising suicide rates among young men, high school dropout rates and growing frustration among boys trapped in toxic definitions of masculinity that ultimately harm individuals, families and communities alike.
Many boys today are growing up in environments where destructive habits are normalised through peer pressure, online influence, substance abuse, pornography, gambling, absent parenting and social media cultures that reward aggression while mocking kindness, discipline and vulnerability.
Across Zimbabwe and the broader African continent, boys are still taught — directly and indirectly — that “real men” do not cry, seek counselling or speak openly about trauma. The result is generations of young men carrying unresolved pain that later manifests through violence, addiction, depression, criminality, suicide and poor health-seeking behaviour.
Zimbabwe is not immune to these challenges. While the nation has made commendable progress in child protection and gender equality, there remains a serious gap in programmes specifically designed to engage boys positively before harmful behaviours become entrenched. Too often, interventions only come after boys are already in conflict with the law, addicted to substances or disconnected from school and family structures. Prevention is always more effective than rehabilitation.
This is why there is a growing need for safe spaces where boys can openly discuss emotions, identity, peer pressure, relationships, mental health and life aspirations without fear of ridicule or stigma.
“Healthy boys become respectful men, responsible fathers, supportive husbands and allies for gender equality. Investing in boys is not competition against girls — it is a strategy for building balanced, peaceful and equitable societies.”
One of the most damaging misconceptions in public discourse is the belief that focusing on boys somehow undermines the empowerment of girls and women. In reality, these priorities are complementary. Healthy boys become respectful men, supportive fathers and productive citizens, while neglected and emotionally wounded boys often struggle to build safe families and peaceful communities. Investing in boys is therefore not a contest against girls, but an essential strategy for creating balanced and equitable societies.
The crisis confronting boys is multidimensional. Boys are disproportionately affected by school dropout, gang violence, criminal recruitment, substance abuse, bullying, online exploitation, suicide and emotional neglect. Yet many systems, including those in Zimbabwe, still lack sufficient gender-disaggregated data relating specifically to boys’ vulnerabilities.
Critically important issues affecting boys often remain invisible in policy debates and funding priorities. We count what we care about, and for far too long we have not cared enough to count our boys.
There is a troubling lack of reliable data on boys who leave school early, struggle with literacy, battle addiction, live in fatherless households or carry unidentified educational needs. Without comprehensive evidence, it becomes difficult to advocate effectively for policy reform and investment.
One of the most pressing concerns affecting boys in Zimbabwe today is the growing epidemic of drug and substance abuse, particularly in urban high-density suburbs, mining communities and economically vulnerable environments. Without early intervention, many young males become trapped in addiction cycles that destroy education, mental health and family relationships.
This is why Men 4 Equality and its partners have integrated evidence-based substance abuse prevention dialogues into community and school programmes, reflecting the belief that prevention must begin long before rehabilitation becomes necessary.
Equally alarming is the silent mental health crisis among boys and young men. Society has long expected boys to project strength at all times, yet strength without emotional support often becomes emotional isolation. Many boys silently struggle with anxiety, depression, trauma and hopelessness without access to counselling or trusted mentors.
Many schools across Zimbabwe have few trained guidance counsellors, leaving vulnerable boys to navigate emotional crises alone until those struggles erupt through violence, self-destructive behaviour or withdrawal from education and social life.
When society repeatedly labels boys as troublemakers, failures or burdens, it does not merely describe reality — it helps create it. Boys internalise these labels and gradually live down to the expectations placed upon them. This creates generations of males burdened by low self-esteem and emotional wounds that punitive approaches cannot heal. This is why Men 4 Equality and its partners continue to emphasise affirming the dignity, humanity and potential of every boy before addressing problematic behaviour.
“True masculinity should be rooted in responsibility, integrity, compassion, accountability and the protection of others — not in dominance, aggression or emotional suppression.”
In many communities across Zimbabwe, boys are still exposed to harmful messages equating masculinity with aggression, dominance and emotional suppression. Yet true masculinity should always be rooted in responsibility, integrity, compassion and accountability. A boy who resolves conflict peacefully is stronger than one who relies on intimidation. A boy who respects girls and women demonstrates emotional maturity, not weakness.
Likewise, a boy who asks for help when struggling is exercising genuine courage rather than admitting failure.
The role of fathers and positive male role models in shaping boys cannot be overstated. Boys learn what manhood means not from speeches alone, but from observing the men around them. Fathers, uncles, teachers, pastors, coaches and community leaders therefore carry an enormous responsibility to model integrity, respect, emotional intelligence and accountability.
Where positive male role models are absent, society must intentionally create mentorship structures that connect boys with trustworthy and emotionally healthy men who can guide them towards purposeful adulthood.
Faith communities also carry a significant and often underutilised responsibility in shaping boys’ values and character. Churches, mosques and other religious institutions remain influential spaces where values are formed and reinforced. This is why partnerships between organisations like Men 4 Equality and faith leaders are essential in promoting responsible fatherhood, ethical leadership and healthy relationships among boys and young men.
Spiritual guidance, combined with practical mentorship, can strengthen boys’ resilience, sense of purpose and ability to make constructive decisions in the face of immense social pressures.
*Chaka Ruzvidzo is the High Commissioner for International Men’s Day and World Day of the Boy Child in Zimbabwe. He is also the National Coordinator of Men 4 Equality (M4E), a Private Voluntary Organisation working to engage men and boys as strategic allies for gender equality, positive masculinity and the prevention of gender-based violence. This article is written in his capacity as High Commissioner.
