Staff Reporter
THE First Gentleman, Lieutenant General (Rtd) Epaphras Denga Ndaitwah, has welcomed the Ministry of Gender Equality’s efforts to prioritise the empowerment of boys and men in Namibia, citing concerns over a male mental health crisis and declining academic performance among male students.
“Allow me to commend the Honourable Minister of Gender Equality and Child Welfare and her team for the Third National Gender Equality and Equity Policy 2025–2035, and the Ministry’s Strategic Plan 2025–2030. This policy sets out a vision of which among others has clearly stated that ‘A gender-just society where men, women, boys, and girls enjoy equal rights and live freely with dignity’. The policy further recognises that in higher education, male students are lagging, and there is, therefore, a need to develop affirmative action measures to address this gender imbalance,” Ndaitwah said.
He made these remarks at a Male Engagement Symposium, which recently took place in Windhoek under the theme “Coordinating Namibia’s Work with Men and Boys for Gender Equality and Wellbeing in Namibia.”
Ndaitwah recalled that the Minister of Gender Equality, Dr Emma Kantema, announced in August that the challenges facing boys at national level are being prioritised by her ministry. He said the symposium was intended to move beyond acknowledging these challenges and translate the ministry’s commitment into coordinated action.
“Honourable Minister, you said it well in August when you declared that the development, protection and empowerment of the boy child is not being ignored, and it is receiving attention. Today we are here to turn that attention into coordinated action,” Ndaitwah said.
He also drew attention to the high suicide rates among boys and men in Namibia, linking them to a male mental health crisis and a deeply entrenched culture of silence. He highlighted this as evidence of growing social, educational and psychological neglect of boys and young men, and revealed that this inspired the establishment of the DEN Impact Foundation, which he launched on 18 August 2026.
“These observations shaped the aspirations of the DEN Impact Foundation: the deliberate, intentional empowerment of the boy child through sport, agriculture, technical training, skills development, and character building pursued in a way that strengthens, rather than competes with, the important gains our nation has made for the girl child,” Ndaitwah said.
According to Ndaitwah, efforts to engage men and boys have historically been affected by duplication, fragmented messaging and structural inefficiencies. He therefore called for greater coordination at government level to promote sustainable and culturally relevant behavioural change. He also urged boys and men to take an active role in addressing the challenges they face and turning them into opportunities.
“Boys and girls are equal in dignity, but not the same in their needs. A programme designed for girls cannot simply be renamed and handed to boys. Let us therefore create programs that respond to the Unique Needs of boys. As boys and men, the success of this dream must be squarely into your hands. You must be the own drivers of the agenda. Let us all leave this symposium not only with good ideas, but with commitments that will lead to action. Let us leave as one movement, with one voice and one coordinated national effort for the boys and men of Namibia,” Ndaitwah added.
Photo: MICT
