The statistics on gender-based violence in South Africa are terrifying.
Now, a new programme aims to tackle one of the causes of gender-based violence by working with high school boys across the country to help them break free from the rigid stereotypes of masculinity and raise a nation of good men.
Primestars, the creator of youth development programmes, plans to launch a national movement to raise a nation of good men. The programme is targeted at Grade 8 to 12 boys of more than 200 schools this year and will include an educational film and toolkit, and ongoing activities to focus on self-awareness, accountability, responsibility, empathy and compassion.
The initiative, What about the Boys?, proposes a paradigm shift in teaching boys how to inhabit masculinity responsibly. Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, the former deputy president of South Africa and executive director of UN Women, has thrown her weight behind the project.
“We need to end gender-based violence in South Africa and the world and to do that we need boys. We need parents, teachers and young people to educate and be role models to these boys,” she said. She called on corporates, government and society to join this movement. To facilitate this, participants will be required to take a pledge to create a measurable standard of behaviour that they will commit to following. A mentoring process and a digital platform will ensure that the programme’s teachings are not time-bound, but instead create long-lasting, changing patterns of behaviour.
Participating companies will provide male mentors to partner with schoolboys to facilitate continued dialogue and guidance.
To get involved e-mail projects@primestars.co.za
