South Africa’s Deputy President Paul Mashatile, who serves as the patron and chairperson of the South African National AIDS Council, launched the National Boys Parliament during a two-day forum which took place from the 18th to the 19th of October 2025, at Stellenbosch University in Cape Town.
The launch of this initiative was a result of a collaboration between the SANAC Men’s Sector and the National Men’s Forum of South Africa. The event brought together adolescent boys and young men from seven provinces, government leaders, development partners and civil society organisations dedicated to supporting boys and men such as Sonke Gender Justice, Sports Stepping Stones and others.
‘The objective of these sectoral parliaments, especially the men’s parliament, is to promote accountability. By bringing boys into this structure, we aim to create a platform for them to engage in our programs and campaigns actively. Organizations focused on initiatives for boys play a significant role’’ said Siyatreasure Ndesi, SANAC Men’s Sector’s Secretary General.
Research shows that men are more likely to be perpetrators of nearly all types of interpersonal violence, such as domestic violence, assault, and rape. This is linked to societal norms and constructions of masculinity that can promote dominance and aggression. In most cases perpetrators are known to victims. The sessions highlighted challenges facing young boys across the country, as participants shared provincial reports supported by their mentors and allies.
‘’They spoke about the realities of substance abuse, gangsterism, and the lack of positive male role models in families and communities. Concerns around bullying in schools, exposure to GBV, and limited access to quality educational resources were also mentioned, as well as mental health struggles among boys and the cultural pressures that often lead them to suppress their emotions instead of seeking help’’ said Sonke’s Men’s Wellness Centre Coordinator Sikhangele Mabulu
‘Sonke is willing to continue supporting these boys by collaborating with relevant stakeholders, in future we will invite this cohort to our Fathers versus Boys debates. We also run campaigns such as The One Man Can, which encourages men to actively participate in advocating for gender equality, preventing gender-based violence and responding to HIV and AIDS’’ Mabulu adds.
Attendees agreed that there needs to be stronger collaboration between government departments such as Basic Education, Health, and Sport, Arts & Culture to create a coordinated strategy that supports the youth.
The National Boys’ Parliament drew on insights from the Brave Movement’s “Data to Action Workshop,” supported by the C20, to make recommendations for protecting and empowering boys. These included calls to reform the justice system to prioritise child protection, strengthen education for prevention and empowerment and enacting digital safety laws.
Moving forward, there are aims to establish Boys and Men’s Parliaments in 52 districts, supported by mentors across all nine provinces.
