Why do boys and men not have access to help and support just like women and girls? Men are not robots, they are equally human beings with feelings!

Boys and men are currently the most endangered gender in the world. For many decades, boys have had their feelings neglected, mocked and ignored.

You walk into a room with a boy and girl-child crying and a reflex reaction would be to attend to the girl’s emotional needs and tell the boy to “be a man." 

A grown man breaks his silence on suffering domestic violence and society mocks him for being too weak not to hit back. A man break his silence on suffering years of sexual abuse and we tell him he was meant to enjoy it. A man gathers the courage to share his story of the pain and trauma and how it affected him and we don’t believe him because what audacity does he have to feel pain?

We have so many issues affecting boys and men on a daily basis but we brush it under the rug because they are men. We don’t care to know how these issues impact their emotional and psychological well-being. Just because it is under-reported does not mean it is not happening. We have many men suffering in silence because of the fear of being judged by society and this continues to cause more harm than good.

WHY WE MUST ACT NOW!

- Males do poorly on indicators of mental health evidenced by elevated rates of conduct disorder, substance use, and violence. 

- 41% of men who contemplated suicide felt like they couldn’t talk to anyone about their feelings.

- Men are 3 times more likely to die by suicide than women.

-  Men have lower access to support from friends, relatives and communities.

We will never be able to achieve a world that is free from fear and violence if we continue to ignore men’s mental health crisis.

Most of the social vices we face as a global community such as; gun violence, terrorism, cultism, homicide, gender-based violence and war can easily be eradicated if we address men’s emotional and psychological needs.

In 2022, the U.S. recorded 617 mass shootings - the second worst year for gun violence in almost a decade and they were all carried out by men. We can continue to argue about gun laws but this is a clear case of a decline in men's mental health as women in the U.S. equally have access to guns. 

A world where men are supported to do and act better is a world that is better for all.

WHAT ARE MY DEMANDS?

- Declare an urgent intervention for men’s mental health crisis globally. 

- Fund more social support centres specifically for men to gain access to legal, medical and psychosocial support across nations.

- Declare an urgent need for suicide prevention helpline specifically for men across nations.

- Promote and fund more projects geared towards supporting battered boys and men across nations.

Please sign my petition and join the call by adding your voice. By supporting this cause, you are helping millions of boys and men around the world find their voice, heal from trauma and ultimately find the courage to seek help.