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The International Day of the Boy Child is marked annually on May 16. The theme of this year’s celebration, “Flourish and Thrive: Investing in Boys for Stronger Families and Communities” highlights the importance of providing boys with emotional support, mentorship and positive role models. It also focuses on boys’ well-being, healthy development and positive contributions to society.
The International Day of the Boy Child was founded in 2018 by Dr. Jerome Teelucksingh, a sociology and history lecturer at the University of the West Indies in Trinidad and Tobago, in response to the growing cases of the boy child’s abandonment and the weight of expectations, which were destroying boys across the world. Although he did not create the day to compete with the International Day of the Girl Child, he reasoned that creating the boy child’s day, as the girl child’s day, would raise awareness about the challenges of boys across the world.
Since 2018 when the day was created, it has become a rallying point for various institutions, governments, and communities to celebrate the boy child and examine some of the issues that confront his well-rounded development. The International Day of the Boy Child provides an opportunity to examine and address the challenges facing the boy child.
In Nigeria, the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, has unveiled a new policy focus on boys, stressing that they must be nurtured as pillars of homes and the nation. The minister, who spoke at an event to mark the 2026 International Day of Families and International Day of the Boy Child, said the government would roll out boy-focused programmes alongside ongoing women and girls initiatives.
According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), about 140 million boys are out-of-school globally. This represents more than half of all out-of-school youth, and more than 133 million girls, who are out-of-school. The UN agency further says that while primary school enrolment rates are high—with about 91 per cent of boys globally enrolled—boys are more prone to repeating grades, failing to progress, and dropping out before completing upper-secondary education compared to girls.
However, in all regions except the sub-Saharan Africa, UNESCO says that young men are significantly underrepresented in higher education, adding that globally, only 88 men are enrolled in tertiary education for every 100 women. Also, fewer boys than girls are enrolled in upper-secondary education in 73 countries. Therefore, to achieve gender equality in education, the boys must be included.
Boys are also said to be disproportionately affected by child labour. According to the 2024 Global Estimates of child labour by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), boys make up a larger share of victims worldwide compared to girls. They state that among children aged 5-17, approximately nine per cent of boys are engaged in child labour, compared to seven per cent of girls. They posit that the gender gap widens significantly as children grow older, with boys outnumbering girls in child labour by a larger margin among older age groups. They conclude that boys in child labour generally spend more time working per week on average than their female peers.
Global and local health agencies, including the World Health Organisation (WHO), point out that the boy child faces severe, often overlooked challenges. These include disproportionately high risks of fatal injuries, exposure to youth violence and exploitation, educational underachievement and the adverse mental health impacts of traditional masculinity. For instance, boys are significantly more likely to die from unintentional injuries, with statistics showing boys account for over three-quarters of adolescent drowning deaths. Similarly, homicide is a leading cause of adolescent death, with boys making up over 80 per cent of both victims and perpetrators.
In Nigeria, the societal expectations are higher on the boys than the girls. The society also sets high standards for the boy child. In his bid to meet these expectations, the boy child is exposed to different snares, such as road accidents, clashes with the law, sickness and many more.
The government should enhance the well-being of boys and by creating supportive environments for them to thrive. Every boy deserves access to quality education, healthcare, protection, mentorship, and equal opportunities to achieve his potential. Empowering the boy child contributes to stronger families, safer communities, and sustainable development.
We believe that adequate nurturing of the boy child will go a long way in moulding future leaders who will drive positive change in society. Investing in the boy child will make them better members of the society. Parents should listen to the boys and attend to their needs. We urge all tiers of the government to address the challenges of the boy child. Let them make policies that will protect the boy child in the country.
