Today, 11th October 2024, we proudly celebrate the International Day of the Girl Child. This day is dedicated to recognizing the potential of girls and advocating for their rights, with a focus on ensuring their full participation in social, economic, and political spheres.

The theme for this year’s celebration, “Girls’ Vision for the Future,” calls upon us to listen to the aspirations of girls and invest in solutions that help them fulfill their potential.

As a female development communicator, I deeply appreciate the incredible progress we have made in the fight for women’s empowerment. Across the globe, women are rising in unprecedented ways - breaking barriers, claiming leadership positions, and advocating for equality.

This progress is necessary, long overdue, and something we should all be proud of. However, as we celebrate these victories, we must pause and reflect on a critical issue we often overlook: What about the boys?

I remember walking into one of my professors' offices after attending an inspiring girl empowerment training session. Excited, I shared all that I had learned about mentoring girls to be leaders, thinkers, and change-makers.

But my professor listened quietly and then posed a question that caught me off guard: “What about the boys?” He pointed out something that has stayed with me ever since - that while we focus on empowering girls, boys are being left behind. We are creating a gap, breeding the kind of boys that many of us, as women, would not want to marry, work with, or build a future alongside.

In our efforts to empower girls, we cannot ignore the fact that boys are part of the equation. Boys are the future husbands, fathers, and partners that we expect our empowered girls to stand beside. Yet, we are failing to teach them the values and skills necessary to complement the empowered women we are raising. If we truly want a society where both genders thrive, we cannot afford to leave boys in the shadows.

In today’s world, boys are also grappling with evolving societal expectations. They are exposed to conflicting messages about masculinity - on one hand, being told to be strong and assertive, and on the other, being encouraged to embrace vulnerability and emotional intelligence. This can be confusing, leaving them unsure of how to express themselves or where they fit in. We must be intentional in raising boys who are emotionally intelligent, who can communicate, empathize, and lead with compassion.

For example, a modern boy today is bombarded with media and societal pressure to conform to stereotypical notions of masculinity - being tough, dominating, or dismissive of emotions. But this mindset limits them. We need to teach boys that strength is not about physical power or control, but about resilience, kindness, and the ability to support others. Boys need to understand that vulnerability is not a weakness; it’s a strength that allows them to connect more deeply with those around them, including the women they will partner with in the future.

Boys today need empowerment just as much as girls, but in ways that challenge harmful gender norms. We should be teaching boys how to engage in healthy relationships, how to support gender equality, and how to thrive in a world where collaboration, not competition, is the key to success. Programs that focus on emotional literacy, respect for diversity, and cooperative leadership are essential for raising boys who will respect and uplift their female counterparts.

It is critical to understand that empowerment is not a zero-sum game. Empowering girls does not mean disempowering boys. In fact, the opposite is true - both genders need to rise together for a balanced and healthy society. We must nurture boys who respect and value the empowerment of women, who see their counterparts as equals, and who contribute positively to the world around them.

Today, as we celebrate the achievements of girls, let’s also commit to raising boys who are empathetic, responsible, and emotionally intelligent. Boys who can lead alongside women, not over them. Boys who understand that the success of one gender does not diminish the other, but rather strengthens the whole of society.

It is time to stop breeding the kind of boys who feel entitled to leadership by virtue of their gender alone. Boys who are taught that they are superior to girls simply because they are male.

This mindset not only harms girls but also cripples the potential of boys. When boys are raised with these harmful gender norms, they are denied the opportunity to become the well-rounded, empathetic men that society needs.

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The author, Gloria Emeka is a Development Communications Professional.