By Evans Worlanyo Ameamu
Keta (VR), May 17, GNA- Residents in the Keta Municipality of the Volta Region, have been encouraged to inculcate better and well defining behaviours into the young and upcoming children for better future outcomes.
The move would also help children to acquire various training and skills that would shape and prepare them adequately for various tasks in the future.
Madam Aurelia Tudzi, the Girl Child Promotion Officer, at the Keta Municipal Assembly, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, to mark 2025 International Boys’ Day, said the celebration, which is held on May 16, every year was solely dedicated to focus on boys and their wellbeing.
“The day is to fully focus on boys, it also includes the things they need in order to be happy, healthy and valued in their families and communities,” she said.
She explained that International Day of the Boy Child is also celebrated each year to recognise the importance of boys’ upbringing and the challenges they faced while also celebrating the positive aspects they bring to their communities and families.
She said all boys have to be encourage and train to grow up to become a man of honour and integrity and be able to contribute meaningfully in a vital way to promote their immediate families and the entire communities as well as the nation at large to be able to make the world a better place for all.
“The day is to also raise awareness about boys’ right and challenges, such as education gender equality, mental health, positive masculinity and encourage boys to expressed themselves freely, and the public must help achieve this.”
Madam Tudzi charged parent, guidance, and stakeholders to take their responsibilities seriously and foster empathy and understanding towards boys’ experiences, challenging harmful stereotypes to urge children to adopt collaborative spirit for the development of the communities.
She said that the day was established in 2018 by Dr Jerome Teelucksingh, a social activist from Trinidad and Tobago which aimed to address issues which include child neglect, academic failures, violent behaviours, and emotional suppression among boys.
She said the focus should not be on only girl, when it comes to child labour and abuse, molestation, sexual abuse, denier of education among others “since many children in both rural and urban areas have been found in the circumstances of various abuses and challenges which needed to crackdown.”
She lamented about the current investigations which revealed that many youths have been engaging in life threatening activities such as smoking, drug abuse, premature sex, robbery, among others and appeal to the public to help advice and shape children for better future.
The 2025 International Boys’ Day was celebrated under the theme, ” Building Self-Esteem in Boys, Stand Up, Be Heard, Be Seen,” which focused on affirming identity in boys’ and self-worth from the early age.
GNA
MA/KOA