Young men have been urged to take an active role in combating gender-based violence, which continues to undermine girls’ rights and prevent them from achieving their aspirations, particularly in education.
The call was made on October 10, 2026, by Grumeti Fund Head of Community Development Frida Mollel during a symposium involving male students from three secondary schools in Bunda District, Mara Region.
Ms Mollel said community development requires the participation of both men and women, warning that gender-based violence limits women’s ability to contribute fully to social and economic development. She said young men have a critical role to play in challenging harmful practices and creating an environment where girls and women can enjoy their rights and pursue their ambitions.
‘Men have immense power in the fight to free women from gender-based violence. Their participation will help ensure the success of these efforts. I therefore urge each of you, young men, to join the journey of empowering women and girls,’ she said.
Ms Mollel added that a prosperous society could only be achieved through cooperation between both genders, noting that empowering women to exercise their rights was essential to poverty reduction and sustainable development.
She said ending gender-based violence would allow women to focus on improving their families’ welfare and contributing to economic growth rather than living under the threat of abuse.
Ms Mollel also cautioned young people against the negative effects of globalisation and the misuse of science and technology, saying these developments, despite their benefits, could expose young people to harmful cultural influences.
She urged them to embrace positive values while remaining mindful of their cultural identity.
Meanwhile, Bunda District Council Head of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation Marwa Kitende said women play a vital role in society and deserved protection from all forms of violence.
He said the persistence of gender-based violence partly reflected inadequate participation by men in efforts to address the problem, urging them to unite in challenging harmful practices.
‘We must value women because they are important in our lives. You cannot expect to have a thriving society while women are subjected to violence,’ he said.
Mr Kitende said lasting change would require men to make a genuine commitment to ending violence against women, adding that it was contradictory for men to aspire to development while participating in practices that oppress women.
Some students who attended the symposium called for increased human rights education to raise awareness of the effects of gender-based violence and promote a shared understanding of the need to protect women and girls.
Elisha Juma said young men should help girls overcome discriminatory practices that limit their participation in education and other areas of life.
He cited unequal distribution of household chores as one of the challenges affecting girls’ studies, saying they were often assigned more domestic responsibilities than boys.
‘Our sisters and younger girls sometimes struggle to find time to study because they are given more household responsibilities than us boys. We must reject this situation and share domestic chores so that everyone has equal opportunities to study,’ he said.
Another student, Mtatiro Wambura, urged girls to understand their rights and report violations to the relevant authorities instead of remaining silent.
He said greater awareness of their rights, combined with support from boys and young men, would strengthen efforts to address gender-based violence.
‘Girls should know what to do when they face these challenges. They should not remain silent but report the incidents to the relevant authorities so that action can be taken. This will also encourage us, as men, to speak out more strongly against such practices,’ he said.