I remember when Cell C introduced the “Take a Girl Child to Work” initiative. At the time, I thought, “Cool, this works.” But the older I got, the more I realized that while the initiative was a great step forward, it could also have unintended consequences in the long run. Fast forward to today—we’re seeing the results. Corporate spaces are now filled with capable women, which is a good thing. Even higher learning institutions have more female students than male ones. However, we’re also seeing a rise in the number of unemployed men in townships. Current statistics show that 33% of women are unemployed, compared to 30% of men. In 2010, those numbers were 27% for women and 23% for men. So, over the past 10–15 years, the system has started to employ more women than men.

As much as I understand and support empowering women, we must also acknowledge that this shift is creating a new imbalance. I’ve always said that boys and men are often the ones who end up causing harm in society—committing the majority of crimes, murders, and rapes—largely because of how society has failed them. In many economies, high unemployment is directly linked to higher crime rates. People turn to crime out of desperation and survival. Crime in South Africa is worse now than before, not to mention the added complexity of foreign nationals providing cheaper labour options.

With all of this happening, as a father raising a boy in this country, I constantly worry about what kind of world he will inherit. My son is five years old now, but in 20 years, his reality may look very different. I wonder how to prepare him for that world. What if, in the near future, he is unemployable simply because of his gender? How do I protect him from that? Should I open a business for him so he can be independent? Ensure he has his own car, house, and income. Or should I pass my business down to him?

There are so many questions when it comes to the future of the boy child. The worst thing society can do is disregard him. An ignored boy becomes an angry, resentful man—and when that man re-enters society, he may try to burn the village down. We’re already seeing a rise in drug use among boys and young men. When you talk to them, they say they have nothing else to do. Drugs become an easy escape from a painful reality.

Then I think about the kind of girl my son might one day date, and I get even more concerned. Today, the way many women see the world can feel frightening to men. Feminism has convinced some women that they are equal to men in every aspect, which, biologically and emotionally, isn’t always the case. It has also encouraged the idea that actions don’t always have consequences. We have more single mothers than ever before—and interestingly, more single fathers, too. Children need both parents. Sometimes I wonder what kind of world we are creating and what our children will inherit.

We need to protect the boy child. Because if one day men feel they have nothing left to lose and decide to burn this country down in anger and frustration, we’ll be facing a crisis far greater than the one we’re in now.