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When Men Change tells the story of four men who changed the way they think about gender equity, sexual and reproductive health and violence. In recent years, there has been growing interest in exploring ways in which men can contribute to promoting gender equity and preventing violence against women and girls. As the evidence base around the topic grows, now is the time to answer the question: What works to engage men in promoting gender equity?
This film, produced by Promundo, illustrates what interventions have proven to be effective when engaging men and boys to advance gender equity and prevent gender-based violence, from the healthcare sector to the workplace.
The evidence:
By involving men in appropriately designed initiatives – including community campaigns, fatherhood workshop sessions, prenatal consultations, comprehensive and inclusive sexuality education, and counseling – and by transforming the social and cultural institutions that perpetuate norms of harmful gender issues, we can change the attitudes and behaviors that reinforce inequalities and lead to gender-based violence.
Want to know more about the topic? The following resources present evidence on “what works” to effectively engage men in advancing the fight for gender equity and preventing gender-based violence.
Questioning traditional gender norms: The most effective gender transformative programs include critical discussions about gender norms and masculinities with men and boys in the areas of: sexual and reproductive health; HIV prevention, treatment, care and support; gender-based violence; men's participation in maternal, neonatal and child health; and fatherhood. Read more here and here .
Ending the cycle of violence: Witnessing or experiencing violence in childhood is one of the biggest risk factors for the use of violence later in men's adult lives. Programs that pay attention to how men and boys experience violence as children – at home or in other contexts – can help break this cycle. There is a growing evidence base that appropriately designed interventions can lead to measurable changes in attitudes supporting violence and self-reported use of violence. Read more here , here and here .
Combination of multiple approaches: Integrated programs that combine group education with community outreach, mobilization, and mass media campaigns are more effective in changing behavior than using group education alone. Read more here .
Political influence for transformation: Programmatic interventions must be conducted in conjunction with advocacy actions aimed at changing laws and policies; to engage those who implement laws and policies; and to change norms, particularly among staff at key institutions. Furthermore, raising awareness among men about the violence committed by them must be part of national strategies to prevent and end gender-based violence. Read more here , here and here .
Partnerships with key stakeholders and institutions: Empowering community leaders through training on gender equity and violence against women should be an essential feature of programs, particularly as a means of creating a positive stimulus for change within communities as well as at local levels. local and national. Working to incorporate change within institutions such as schools and faith groups, from the program planning stage onwards, is crucial to developing effective messages and sustainable initiatives. Read more here and here .
Redistribution of care tasks through promoting policy changes, including paternity leave: A radical redistribution of care tasks is essential for women to achieve political, social and economic equality with men, as they are often the ones are burdened with the responsibility of caring. Programs in parenting, health and other sectors that involve both fathers and mothers can be effective in changing traditional gender norms around caregiving tasks. A greater effort to promote equal, non-transferable and paid parental leave, along with national policies that encourage men to engage in reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health, are key to instigating and sustaining this change. Read more here .
Working with men in partnership with women: Gender roles are often complementary and are reinforced by both men and women. Programs around the world have found that men and women can be motivated to challenge harmful gender-related attitudes and rebuild shared values. By synchronizing work with diverse same-sex groups, with men, women, boys and girls, programs can act as catalysts for social change. Read more here .
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