WINDHOEK, Namibia – On 6 May 2026, the Forum for African Women Educationalists Namibia (FAWENA) was honoured to engage in a high-level meeting with UNICEF at the UN House. The discussions, held in collaboration with the Office of the First Spouse, centered on the strategic direction and key goals of the upcoming Boys’ Back to School Campaign Launch. The meeting marked a significant step toward addressing educational disparities and ensuring that every boy has the opportunity to return to school, thrive academically, and contribute meaningfully to Namibian society.
The Boys’ Back to School Campaign is designed as a targeted intervention to tackle the growing concern of male disengagement from education, a challenge that has implications not only for individual life outcomes but also for broader social cohesion, economic productivity, and gender dynamics within communities. By focusing on boys who have dropped out of school or are at risk of doing so, the campaign aims to re-establish educational pathways that lead to dignified livelihoods, responsible citizenship, and positive contributions to national development.
During the meeting, FAWENA representatives joined UNICEF officials and the Office of the First Spouse in a series of strategic conversations that identified priority actions, resource mobilization strategies, and monitoring frameworks necessary for the successful launch and sustained implementation of the campaign. Discussions also explored how FAWENA’s longstanding expertise in gender-responsive education could inform a balanced approach that simultaneously advances girls’ and boys’ educational outcomes without undermining progress made in female enrolment and retention.
The collaborative spirit of the meeting reaffirmed a shared commitment among all stakeholders to inclusive education and sustainable development. By strengthening partnerships and aligning efforts, FAWENA, UNICEF, and the Office of the First Spouse signaled a unified determination to leave no child behind—regardless of gender—in the pursuit of quality education for all Namibians. As one participant noted, the future of the nation depends on the actions taken today. Together, the partners moved forward with purpose, preparing for a campaign launch that promises to mobilize communities, schools, and policymakers around the urgent task of bringing every boy back to the classroom. FAWENA emerged from the high-level engagement with renewed energy and a clear roadmap for its role in the campaign, ready to translate dialogue into concrete action on the ground.