Following the launch of the Ra Program in July 2016, a partnership between Promundo and the Lebanese NGO ABAAD-Gender Equity Resource Center (link in English), Promundo's Jane Kato-Wallace spoke with the program's three champions about working with young men in Beirut for gender equality.
Program Ra, adapted from Program H , with support from the Womanity Foundation 's first Womanity Prize , encourages men and boys to challenge gender-based stereotypes, question traditional ideas about masculinity, and contribute to ending all forms of gender-based violence in Lebanon.
Jane spoke with Tala Noweisser , school counselor for grades 5-12 at Wellspring Learning Community School in Beirut, where the Ra Program was first implemented in October 2016; with Hussein Safwan , who provides psychosocial support services as part of ABAAD's Women and Girls Safe Spaces Program (WGSS) in Choueifat, Lebanon; and with Estephan “Tino” Bechara , a young man who participated in the first Ra Program validation workshop.
Tala, Hussein and Tino spoke about the challenges men and boys in Lebanon face as a result of oppressive gender norms:
“In the classroom, if we asked boys to express their anger, they would do so violently. They wouldn't do it verbally because that would require them to express how they are feeling. … These norms make communication difficult and do not help boys achieve their goals.”, said Tala.
“The first challenge is stereotypical concepts of masculinity and family traditions. …The second challenge is the suppression of men's emotions because they think that only women have the right to express emotions. …The negative consequence is that men and boys often use violence because it is a socially acceptable response to stress…,” Hussein said.
“The patriarchal system we live in is based on sectarian lines [so strong] that they can even prevent people from entering into romantic relationships with each other. Men in power make us focus on our differences – like gender, religion, ethnicity or sexual orientation – instead of our similarities,” said Tino
The three champions also spoke about what they expect from the Ra Program and the changes it can stimulate in their communities:
“We need a program to help men get out of the box.” Furthermore, men here in Lebanon would like to change, but they don't have a path to take the first step. The Ra Program is the first step for them.”, said Hussein.
“I hope the Ra program spreads the message and lets people know we are all in this together, under one roof. … I want us to accept each other.”, said Tino.
“I want them [young men] to know that gender roles exist, so they understand how to manage different expectations, and to be able to speak up if there's something that needs to change, so they don't feel like they have to conform.” , said Tala.
See the Ra Program manual here .
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