A recent conference in Windhoek highlighted how societal pressure to provide and post-graduation unemployment are driving rising anxiety and depression levels among young men.
Namibia University of Science and Technology (Nust) foundation director Kaitira Kandjii said this during a panel discussion on men’s mental health at the sixth Southern African Regional Students and Youth Conference on Sexual and Reproductive Health in Windhoek on Thursday.
He said observations at Nust indicate that male students in their third and fourth academic years were among those experiencing the highest levels of anxiety.
Kandjii said many young men grow up believing their primary responsibility is to provide for their families, making unemployment after graduation particularly difficult to face.
“These young men, instead of being joyful and happy, become depressed because they face the problem of unemployment. It has become a big issue now,” he said.
He said many young men are left uncertain about whether they will find employment, affecting their confidence and outlook on life.
“They are very anxious. They don’t know what is going to happen. They are still building careers, still building hope and purpose, but they are now demoralised because of that uncertainty,” he said.
Deputy minister of education, innovation, youth, sport, arts and culture Dino Ballotti at the event said young men’s mental health should receive greater attention.
“Mental health for men is probably most important, compared to the challenges young men face,” Ballotti said.
He urged parents, friends and communities to recognise changes in behaviour among young people before it is too late.
“You will know when someone is not okay. You will know your colleague, your friend, your neighbour. You will know when something is not okay,” he said.
Health educator Riaan Siyama says Namibia needs more platforms that encourage men to speak openly about their struggles.
“Namibia has been facing a challenge in terms of men speaking about their mental health,” he says.
4×4 Initiative Foundation founder Sidney Boois says society should broaden its understanding of what it means to be providers, saying the role extends beyond financial support to include responsibility, presence and care.
He says men can still provide for themselves by managing their time well, supporting their families and being actively involved in the lives of those entrusted to them.
“Being a provider is not only about resources. It is also about how you steward your time, your finances and how you take care of those entrusted to you. A man who is not working can still give quality time to his family and children,” Boois says.
Southern African Regional Students and Youth Conference Youth Steering Committee chairperson Fadzai Nyamarebvu at the event said the conference aimed to bring together young people, policymakers and development partners to address issues affecting young people across southern Africa, including the growing burden of mental health.
