Oshikoto Governor Sacky Kathindi is calling for more support for boys and men affected by gender-based violence. 

The governor said it is time to create safe spaces where they can speak out, be heard, and begin to heal.

He believes boys need to grow up knowing that being strong doesn't mean keeping quiet when something is wrong, but rather standing up for what is right and asking for help when they need it.

Kathindi was speaking at the end of the Gender-Based Violence campaign, which was held at Omuthiya as part of the national initiative to combat the social ill.

The campaign was officially launched in June by the ministries of Information and Communication Technology and Gender Equality, together with the First Gentleman.

The campaign aims to change the public's attitudes, behaviours, and perceptions about GBV by providing practical information.

The campaign highlights the various manifestations of GBV, including economic, psychological, physical, and sexual violence.

"Our women, children and elderly are increasingly unsafe, with cases of rape, assault, and abuse rising at an alarming rate, but let me also say this clearly: GBV does not only affect women. There is another silent crisis that we must acknowledge: the abuse of the boy child and the suffering of men, especially married men, who are often subjected to emotional, psychological, and even physical abuse in their homes."

The abuse of men has led to a disturbing increase in suicide cases, many of whom are trapped in toxic, abusive relationships but remain silent due to shame, societal expectations or fear of not being believed.

He said men's pain is real and their lives matter.

The key focus of the campaign was to empower boys and young men with knowledge and understanding of concepts such as consent, as well as to avoid using toxic behaviour and masculinity as tools of dominance or control.

Everyone is urged to take responsibility and become active agents of change in their homes, schools, churches and workplaces to end GBV in Namibia.

"As a child, my father taught me never to lay a finger on a woman. That lesson was firm, clear and unforgettable. It shaped who I am today. Fathers, I urge you to raise your sons to respect others; raise them to understand that masculinity is not rooted in dominance or control but in compassion, responsibility and dignity."

Kathindi further called on parents to raise their daughters to understand that love does not mean control.

Children should thus be taught that violence, be it physical or emotional, has no place in the home or society.