MenEngage:

Overview

MenEngage is an alliance of NGOs that seek to engage men and boys in effective

ways to reduce gender inequalities and promote the

health and wellbeing of women, men and children

http://www.menengage.org/

Goal of MenEngage To build a global network of organizations and

institutions with increased commitment and capacity to implement and document effective interventions with boys and men, and to take the issue into the public sector.

... In collaboration with existing efforts to promote the rights of women and girls

• Consortium of about +/- 500 organisations

• Regional networks in Europe,Latin America, North America, Asia, Africa …

• Global steering committee

dimension

Original Members & Focus Areas

Members• EngenderHealth• Instituto Promundo• Save the Children-Sweden • International Planned

Parenthood Federation • Family Violence Prevention

Fund • SAHOYOG • White Ribbon Campaign• UN: UNDP, UNFPA, WHO• Men’s Resources International • Int. Center for Research on

Women • Sonke Gender Justice Network• Salud y Genero

Focus areas• SRH, sexual diversity

and sexual rights• HIV• GBV/ violence against

women• Fatherhood• Maternal Health• Conflict• Sexual Exploitation• Engaging men as

caregivers

• Calls from the women’s movement for work with men

• Our belief that men and boys are key partner and change agents for gender equality

• Increasing interest and new organisations developing across the region

• Growing evidence-base.... but interventions still short-term, and small scale

• Need to promote collaborative work with men and boy on gender equality, and GBV/HIV prevention

Why a MenEngage network?

Initial Objectives

ADVOCACY & POLICY: To increase commitment (int orgs, government and civil society) to actively engaging men and in promoting gender equality

CAPACITY BUILDING: To increase capacity, technical skills and leadership of existing and new projects

RESOURCE SHARING: Toshare resources, tools and best practices

Some Core Principles• Working as allies with existing women’s rights

processes/movements• Engaging men from a positive perspective• Human rights and gender as relational

perspective• The vulnerabilities of men• Building on the evidence base

/ existing UN mandates• Collaboration and

transparency

• Global Symposium on engaging men and boys in gender equality, Brazil, 2009

• Symposium call to action: emphasis on scaling-up, influencing policy, building evidence, collaboration with women’s organsations

• Men Engage Call for Action at the CSW 2013

Some highlights..MenEngage global

THE HEART OF MENENGAGE: Regional & National Networks

Regional Symposiums across the globeSelf-directed regional and national networks (50 at present)Affiliated with Global ME Alliance – developing criteria on what it means to be a ME memberMinimum ethical standards – diverse membershipDeveloping joint campaigns and advocacy on positive fatherhood & violence against women; research; policy dialogues

Thank You!