Kicking gender-based violence out of the game
How the Coaching Boys Into Men program is ending child marriage in Zambia
In Zambia’s Katete district, where gender-based violence (GBV), child, early and forced marriage, and adolescent pregnancy remain a challenge, the Coaching Boys Into Men (CBIM) program is scoring big wins for gender equality.
Spearheaded by dedicated teachers and community members like Coach Peter, CBIM uses the universal language of sport to help boys understand that true strength is measured by respect, empathy, and positive masculinity – not by aggression.
This evidence- based violence prevention strategy brings the principles of fair play and mutual respect onto the field and into communities, teaching young men that violence is never the goal. It’s more than just a game; it’s a movement for safer, more equitable communities.
What role do boys play in ending gender-based violence (GBV)?
In practice sessions, coaches model positive behaviors, showing boys that strength includes patience, teamwork, and compassion.
Boys and men play a vital role in reshaping gender norms and stopping GBV from the start. CBIM aims to instill the value of non-violence early, making sure boys learn that their role on and off the field is to support and respect others.
In practice sessions, coaches model positive behaviors, showing boys that strength includes patience, teamwork, and compassion. These role models ensure boys understand that being a strong man means creating a safe, supporting environment for everyone.
One champion mentor is Coach Peter, a schoolteacher at Chimwa primary school in Kapangulula village, Katete district, “I coached 50 boys of which 25 are between 10-14 years old and the other 25 are between 15-19 years old. We meet each team twice every week. Each session starts with a 15-minute lesson on diverse topics such as positive masculinities, participation in household chores, respectful relationships with others including women and girls and Gender Based Violence (GBV),” he explains. “After the discussion on the topic, the boys are then engaged in soccer. This is also characterized by music composed to raise awareness on pertinent issues that affect adolescent girls and boys. The aim is to coach boys into men using sport as an entry point which provides the boys with a recreation activity.”
Boys are encouraged to challenge the myth that toughness equals aggression and become allies for gender equality. By changing attitudes at an early age, CBIM empowers boys to become leaders in their communities, challenging harmful behaviors and calling out GBV when they see it.
Why violence never equals strength
By changing attitudes at an early age, CBIM empowers boys to become leaders in their communities, challenging harmful behaviors and calling out GBV when they see it.
In a world where the exaggerated identity of “macho men” is often equated online and in real life with masculinity and dominance, CBIM rewrites the playbook. Boys are taught that respect and restraint, not violence, are the real badges of honor. Teaching this message through sports shows young men that healthy masculinity is about self-control and integrity. Violence may feel like strength, but CBIM teaches that it leads to foul outcomes – never a true victory.
“Violence is not a sign of strength but a failure to embrace true resilience. Real strength is rooted in respect, compassion, and self-discipline. Teaching boys about healthy masculinity is essential to creating a world where everyone thrives—where men and boys stand as allies for equality and demonstrate that honoring women and girls with respect and dignity is the truest expression of manhood.” - UNFPA - UNICEF Global Program to End Child Marriage.
Final whistle
While CBIM is transforming lives across Zambia, its message has a ripple effect that reaches Canadians and beyond. Gender equality and the prevention of violence are universal goals that transcend borders.
Programs like CBIM inspire communities everywhere to collaborate, showing that each small change strengthens our shared goal of a safer, more equitable world – for all.
Through programs like CBIM, young men in Zambia are learning to take action and stand for gender equality, proving that real change happens when we play as a team. As of January 2024, the program has successfully trained 135 coaches across 6 districts.
From the field to the frontline of social change, CBIM’s message is clear: in the game against gender-based violence, every boy can be a champion.
This story is written in partnership with UNICEF and UNFPA, Canada continues to support the Coaching Boys Into Men (CBIM) program in Zambia through the Global Programme on the Elimination of Child Marriage.
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