THE AIM FRAMEWORK Addressing and Involving Men and Boys To Promote Gender Equality and End Gender Discrimination and Violence

Michael Kaufman, Ph.D. www.michaelkaufman.com Prepared under a contract with UNICEF March 31, 2003

1. MEN AND BOYS IN OUR EFFORTS TO tasks might be money spent on men, but it is part END DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN of the process of gender transformation to the AND GIRLS: POSING THE ISSUE benefit of women and girls. Similarly, money Those of us concerned with gender inequality supporting a men’s organization to carry out and its terrible toll on the lives of women and girls awareness programs with boys and men to end – witnessed in the pandemic of violence against men violence against women and girls, is not women, in lower educational attainment in many money spent on women and girls, but spent to parts of the world, in job discrimination and lower meet both the immediate and transformative needs rates of pay, in health costs, and, simply, in the of women and girls. 1 reduction in the quality of life and the abrogation This paper attempts to synthesize lessons of basic human rights – seem to have one clear from the past two decades of work with men and path: redirect resources, energy, legislation, boys to end gender inequality and men’s violence, education, and programs towards women and and to promote new models of masculinity and girls. Only such a concerted redirection can end new relations between women and men. It is not a millennia of gender discrimination, oppression, review of the literature – which now represents a and violation of their basic human rights. tremendous body of work – but a working This path, however, is neither narrow, linear, document. It will: nor always clear. For one thing, it isn’t only a • briefly summarize some of the question of directing resources to women and girls consequences of not addressing and (although it certainly includes that), but, in a involving men and boys verses some broader sense, to the needs of women and girls potential positive outcomes; and their empowerment. Furthermore, our efforts • distil seven conceptual tools that can help must not be limited to meeting immediate needs, organizations in the UN system, NGOs, but also to what we might think of as women’s transformatory and strategic needs. In that sense, 1. Organizations are divided about speaking of gender resources must also be directed to ending the equality or gender equity. However, both are critical. Gender equality refers to equal treatment of females underlying social structures, institutions, and and males in law, in civil society, the family, at work relationships on which this inequality is based. and education. Gender equity refers to fairness. So, This enlarged notion of the path towards for example, the principle of gender equality says we should not discriminate in the workplace against a gender equality and equity begins to point us woman who is pregnant: she should have equal towards examples of why we must include men opportunities with her male and other female and boys in our gender-equality and equity colleagues. Gender equity, however, suggests that we framework. To cite but two simple examples: A should respond to her specific needs and temporarily take account of her pregnancy in work assignments if program aimed at men to increase fathers’ she requests such accommodation. This might mean involvement in day-to-day parenting and domestic temporary unequal treatment from a male or other female colleague, but it would be fair treatment.

Michael Kaufman The AIM Framework Page 1 as well as other institutions and a gender and development approach is a recipe for governments, properly situate their work failure: in relation to boys and men in order that • An assumption that we can successfully such efforts are not simply a net drain on pursue programs to improve the lives of resources that could go to women and women and girls without addressing and girls; involving men fails to acknowledge men’s • introduce the AIM framework – a roll as gatekeepers of current gender strategic framework for addressing and orders and as potential resistors of change. involving men and boys; Simply put, if we do not effectively reach • provide illustrative examples of this men and boys, many of our efforts will framework from around the world. either be thwarted or simply ignored. Male leaders, from local to international, 2. CONSEQUENCES OF NOT ADDRESSING in politics and the economy, in religious AND INVOLVING MEN AND BOYS institutions and the media, may at best – if There are many good reasons why men and we are lucky – pay lip service to sexual boys have not been a focus of work guided by a equality and to meeting the human rights gender analysis and with an explicit gender focus, of women and girls. But these goals will not the least of which has been the opposition of not be fully and truly integrated into local, many men to gender equality either for ideological national, and international priorities. reasons, because of their unquestioned • B y de facto repeating the notion that assumptions, or simply to preserve entrenched “gender = women,” men are removed privileges. In spite of the active support for from the gender equation. This effectively change by many good men, gender and marginalizes women and women’s development approaches often seem to take place struggles even in the name of despite men. Such work and such approaches mainstreaming. This is one of the have been led by women and it is understandable paradoxes of mainstreaming approaches that their focus has been on those most critically that treat only half of the gender equation. effected by gender discrimination. Resources Once marginalized, it is no surprise that have remained scarce and there has been our best efforts are thwarted in moments justifiable concern about siphoning them away of national or international crisis, or in the from women and girls. Added to this has been the midst of economic cutbacks, or virtually equation of women with gender, an equation still ignored at the highest levels of social, largely true not only in development work, but economic, and political decision-making. also in academia, politics, and the popular mind. • Leaving out men and boys can lead us to The equation is also a holdover, suggests Chant only address symptoms of the underlying and Guttman, from the women in development gender system that structures the lives of approaches that predated the more contemporary women and men, rather than developing 2 gender and development framework. initiatives and programs that allow us to Much more might be said about this absence, get to the heart of the problem. This is but for our purposes the critical point is the impact because, ultimately, gender is about of this absence. I would suggest that leaving men relations of power between the sexes and and boys out of the gender equation and outside of among different groups of women and men. Although practical programs to empower women (for example, through 2. Sylvia Chant and Matthew Guttman, “Mainstreaming Men into Gender and Development,” (Oxford: Oxfam improved education for girls) are one part GB, 2000), pp. 16-24.

Michael Kaufman The AIM Framework Page 2 of redressing these relations of power, cultural, political issues. there also needs to be systematic and systemic efforts to change the lives of men 4. SEVEN CONCEPTUAL TOOLS TO and boys if we are to redress power BETTER ALLOW US TO STRATEGICALLY relations at their root. APPROACH AND INVOLVE MEN AND BOYS 3. POTENTIAL POSITIVE OUTCOMES OF That much said, such outcomes remain only a ADDRESSING AND INVOLVING MEN AND possibility. The danger is that money and effort BOYS TO CHALLENGE OUR GENDER spent on men and boys will simply maintain the ORDER status quo, perpetuate gross inequalities in the In contrast to these negative consequences, there division and allocation of social resources, and are potential positive outcomes. Such efforts serve only to perpetuate the institutions and might: privileges that men and boys have traditionally • create a large-scale and broad social enjoyed relative to women and girls. consensus on a range of issues that Our best promise for success and actually previously have been marginalized as contributing to the goal of ending a gender order issues only of importance to women when that has such harmful effects on children, on in fact they are often also issues for men; women (and, I would suggest, in different ways, mobilize resources controlled by men and on men as well) and on the planet as a whole, mobilize the social and economic comes from developing and finding practical institutions controlled by men. In other means of applying a set of conceptual tools that words, such efforts could result in a net can guide our approaches in this area. Here are gain in resources available to meet the seven such tools: needs of women and girls; • develop effective partnerships not only i. The move from WID to GAD shifted focus to between women and men, but between a patriarchy and relationships. The women in range of institutions and organizations, development (WID) focus in the 1970s and into some representing the interests of women the 1980s was an important step in development and girls, and others de facto representing efforts. It named women both as a specific object the traditional interests of men and boys; and subject of development and it led to women- • increasingly and patiently isolate and centered programs. But as various authors have marginalize those men working to noted, it often led to token or add-on efforts, as if preserve men’s power and privilege; women could be empowered in isolation of all • raise the next generation of boys and girls else. 3 in a framework of gender equity and The emergence of gender and development equality; (GAD) approaches marked an important step in • by changing the attitudes and behaviour of that its theory focussed on gender as a social men and boys, improve the lives of relationship. Efforts aimed at challenging women and girls in the home, workplace, discrimination and improving the lives of women and community; were brought into the mainstream of development • gain unexpected insights into current organizations. Ultimately this has meant, in gender relations and the complex forces theory at least, a challenge to the existing relations that promote discrimination against

women and prevent gender equality; 3. See for example, Chant and Guttman, op. cit., C. • gain unexpected insights into other social, Moser, Gender, Planning and Development: Theory, Practice and Training (London: Routledge: 1993).

Michael Kaufman The AIM Framework Page 3 of gender power and the institutions and behaviour that are desired or deemed inconsistent ideologies that preserved that power. with masculinity or femininity. Although this has led to many practical Although, in reality, the line between sex and questions, including how institutions organize gender isn’t always clear (simply because our these approaches, and although, in practise, the biological species doesn’t exist outside of cultures framework is often reduced to a woman and deeply imbued with gender divisions) the development framework, this does represent an distinction remains a critical bit of shorthand for important step forward. When all is said and our work: it is, after all, the basis for the done, the focus on gender relations means that the proposition that a change in gender relations is fulfilment of the promise of GAD requires an possible. engagement with all the actors in those relations. The distinction is also the basic tool for It requires a challenge to the institutions and challenging men and boys: we are not challenging structures, the ideologies and practices that have them as males, but rather we are challenging cemented and nurtured the relations of gender negative or oppressive gendered behaviour and inequality and gender power. It requires an relations. In this sense, for example, we should engagement with women and men at the family speak of “men’s violence” rather than “male level – the key (if diverse) institution through violence,” or “men’s social power” rather than 4 which gender identities and relations are first “male social power.” instilled and constantly perpetuated. This, in turn, requires approaches for the engagement of men iii. Gender Work, the Family, and Early and boys for if relationships are to change, then all Childhood Development. Gender is not a static those involved must be pulled into a process of and fixed entity, either biologically or socially change. fixed. Rather, it is a process and a relationship. While the WID frameworks could only set the The possibility for the creation of gender lies stage, the widely-established GAD framework in two biological realities, the malleability of gives us at least some of the basic conceptual tools human drives and the long period of dependency 5 for the engagement of men and boys for a project of children. Upon this biological edifice, a social of challenging our established gender status quos process goes to work for the simple reason that and promoting human rights for both women and this period of dependency is lived out in society. men. ii. Socially-constructed gender vs. biological sex. 4. See the discussion in chapter one of Michael Basic to a GAD analysis and to any approaches Kaufman, Cracking the Armour: Power, Pain, and the that seek to change gender relations is the critical Lives of Men (Toronto: Viking Canada, 1993). Also some of these issues are explored in Michael S. (but sometimes overlooked) distinction between Kimmel, The Gendered Society, (New York: Oxford biological sex and socially-created gender. “Sex” University Press, 2000). refers to the immutable characteristics (boiling 5. This section is based on portions of: Michael down to our different place in the process of Kaufman, “Men, Feminism, and Men’s Contradictory reproduction) that distinguish males and females Experiences of Power,” in Harry Brod and Michael of our species. “Gender” is our definitions of Kaufman, editors, Theorizing Masculinities (Thousand manhood and womanhood, our learned Oaks: Sage Publications, 1994), pp. 142-165; Michael Kaufman, Cracking the Armour, op. cit., and Michael behaviours, the relations of power between the Kaufman, “The Construction of Masculinity and the sexes, the accentuated or suppressed physical and Triad of Men’s Violence,” in Beyond Patriarchy: Essays emotional characteristics, and the forms of by Men on Pleasure, Power and Change, ed. by Michael Kaufman (Toronto: Oxford University Press, 1987). All are available at www.michaelkaufman.com/articles.

Michael Kaufman The AIM Framework Page 4 Within different family forms, each society that world his, which makes it more or less provides a charged setting in which love and comfortable to live in. Through the incorporation longing, support and disappointment become the of a dominant form of masculinity particular to his vehicles for developing a gendered psyche. The class, race, nationality, era, sexual orientation, and family gives a personalized stamp to the religion, he gains real benefits and an individual categories, values, ideals, and beliefs of a society sense of self-worth. From the moment when he in which one’s sex is a fundamental aspect of self- learns, unconsciously, there are not only two sexes definition and life. The family takes abstract but a social significance to the sexes, his own self- ideals and turns them into the stuff of love and worth becomes measured against the yardstick of hate. gender. As a young male, he is granted a fantasy By five or six years old, before we have much reprieve from the powerlessness of early conscious knowledge of the world, the building childhood because he unconsciously realizes he is blocks of our gendered personalities are firmly part of that half of humanity with social power. anchored. Over this skeleton we build the adult as His ability to incorporate not simply the roles, but we learn to survive within an interlocked set of to grasp onto this power – even if, at first, it exists patriarchal realities that includes family, school, only in his imagination and play – is part of the religion, the media, and the world of work. development of his personality. The internalization of gender relations is a The notion of gender work suggests there is an building block of our personalities – that is, it is active process that creates and recreates gender. It the individual elaboration of gender. suggests that this process can be an ongoing one, Consequently, we make our own subsequent with particular tasks at particular stages of life and contributions to replenishing and adapting that allows us to respond to changing relations of institutions and social structures that wittingly or gender power. It suggests that gender is not a unwittingly preserves patriarchal systems. This static thing that we become, but is a form of process, when taken in its totality, forms what I ongoing interaction with the structures of the have called the gender work of a society. 6 surrounding world. 7 Because of the multiple identities of One practical implication of this is the tremendous individuals and the complex ways we all embody importance of changing family relations in any both power and powerlessness – as a result of the GAD approach and of the importance of an interaction of our sex, race, class, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion, intellectual and physical abilities, family particularities, and sheer chance – gender work is not a linear process. 7. The concept of building a culture of peace, For a man, his masculinity is a bond, a glue, to popularized by UNESCO, dovetails nicely with the notion of changing gender relations. The word “culture” the patriarchal world. It is the thing which makes is not simply a noun, referring to diverse artistic and social expressions of individuals and groups, nor even a description of society as a work in progress. It is also a verb. Like the farmer who cultures plants or the 6 . There are many sources with fascinating discussions biologist who cultures bacteria in the lab, culture is all of various dimensions of this gender work. On the about what the world’s citizens grow. The idea of formation of masculinities through sport and the impact culturing gendered relations of peace (and peace of this on the wider body politic see, for example, Varda through transformed gender relations), is based on the Burstyn, The Rites of Men: Manhood, Politics, and the premise of active and conscious interventions by Culture of Sport (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, governments, schools, religious institutions, families 1999) and Michael Messner, Power at Play: Sports and and communities to cultivate very different gender the Problem of Masculinity, (Boston: Beacon Press, identities and relations. See, for example, I. Brienes, 1992). On many of the issues raised in this section, R. Connell, and I. Eide, eds, Male roles, masculinities, see R.W . Connell, The Men and the Boys (Berkeley: and violence: a culture of peace perspective, (Paris: University of California Press, 2000). UNESCO, 2000).

Michael Kaufman The AIM Framework Page 5 explicit priority on early childhood experiences enormous prop to other structures and ideologies 8 and education. of social power. The emergence of a growing body of iv. Diverse masculinities suggests diverse international research is beginning to draw a relationships to patriarchy. Men are not a unitary picture of varied and culturally-specific subject. Speaking of “men’s social power” is a masculinities. Meanwhile, historical research simplification for, actually, it is “men’s social points to constant and ongoing changes in our power relative to women in their same social class definitions of masculinity and in the relationship or social grouping.” between different masculinities. Masculinity is 11 Just as a patriarchal, or male-dominated, far from a fixed or timeless entity. society is one with a hierarchy of men over Jeff Hearn has suggested that we must focus women, it is also an elaborate hierarchy of some not only on diverse masculinities but on diverse men over other men. And, as Bob Connell and men’s practises. Patriarchy is not constituted 12 others have explored, this is reflected in diverse simply through identities, but lived realities. masculinities structured between ones which are While one man might beat his wife, his neighbour hegemonic and others which are subordinate. might work publicly against wife abuse. While This reflects that men in certain groups have one man terrorizes his children, another might be social or economic, political or physical power a loving and nurturing individual. Furthermore, over other men and also that some definitions of just as the mechanisms for experiencing power manhood have power over others. Some are and powerlessness will be guided by the complex valorized, while others are ridiculed or set of factors in a man’s life, the behaviours of diminished. 9 men will have multiple determinations. Part of what keeps men in check and in Men are certainly not a homogeneous lot. Our support of the status quo, part of what polices strategies of change must be guided and fine tuned men, is the power of hegemonic masculinities, the not only to reach diverse men, but to be able to gold standards of manhood. They provide models identify potential allies and possible rifts in the for men and boys to live up to. As Michael camp of men. Kimmel notes, they provide a constant warning This knowledge has enormous implications: 10 not to deviate. And, as a hegemonic form of For one thing, it allows us to more clearly see that personal and sexual identity for that very group traditional forms of social and political analysis which is also the more socially powerful of the have mis-labelled or only partially labelled sexes, hegemonic masculinities are also an phenomena or personal characteristics that have impeded development. The actions of certain national leaders, for example, might not only be to

8. A similar point is made in the draft working document, “Gender Socialization in Early Childhood,” 11. The diversity of masculinities is being explored in Education and Gender Sectors, Program Division, an emerging body of literature. See, for example, the January 31, 2002. journal Men and Masculinities (Sage Publications), as well as a new book series by Zed Books on global 9. R.W. Connell, Gender and Power, (Stanford: masculinities. One useful bibliographic source is Stanford University Press, 1987). Michael Flood’s on-line The Men’s Bibliography, http://www.xyonline.net/mensbiblio/index.html. 10. Michael Kimmel, “Masculinity as Homophobia: 12 Fear, Shame, and Silence in the Construction of . Jeff Hearn, “Is Masculinity Dead? A Critique of the Gender Identity,” in Harry Brod and Michael Kaufman, Concept of Masculinity/masculinities,” in M. Mac an (eds), Theorizing Masculinities, (Thousand Oaks: Ghail, ed., Understanding Masculinities, (Buckingham: Sage, 1994), pp. 119-141. Open University Press, 1996), pp. 202-217.

Michael Kaufman The AIM Framework Page 6 advance particular economic or social, religious or of perpetuation through the individual men who personal interests, but might also express the come to embody and thus individually represent mandate of a hegemonic masculinity or, in the and reproduce a particular definition of power. another case, of a figure desperate to show his This is critical for our work for it suggests power within the masculine equation. that, whatever cultural differences we observe, It also means that we can better appreciate the whatever the cross-cultural specificities to uneven rewards different men receive from manhood and masculine experiences, there are patriarchy. A Brahmin male is not a dailit male. common patterns, themes, and challenges. Thus An urban black working class man in London is we can make cross-cultural generalizations at the not a white stock trader in the City. The camp of same time as being sensitive to the unique gender men is not a unified camp. relations and features of each culture. There are fissures in the structures of patriarchy: a GAD agenda must find ways to vi. Men’s contradictory experiences of power. address and exploit these differences. Both the fissures and commonalities between different men and groups of men become v. Manhood equals power. In spite of such particularly apparent when we draw on the difference – both over time and within and concept of men’s contradictory experiences of between cultures – there are some common power. This concept is also critical to understand 13 elements. In particular, a common feature of the potential of men embracing gender equality. many definitions of manhood, both hegemonic Men and boys do enjoy social power, many and not, is the equation of manhood with power. forms of privilege, and a sense of often- Although “power” can be experienced in many unconscious entitlement by virtue of being male. different ways, from the “power of love” to the But the way we have set up that world of power “power to control,” within male-dominated causes immense pain, isolation, and alienation not societies, the latter tends to dominate. Power to only for women, but also for men. This is not to control may be experienced physically or equate men’s pain with the systemic and financially, emotionally or intellectually, systematic forms of women’s oppression. Rather, politically or through brute force. it is to say that men’s worldly power comes with a This equation of masculinity with power is price for them. This combination of power and one internalized by boys into their developing pain, this hidden story in the lives of men, is what personalities. In the patriarchal universe, power is I have called men’s contradictory experiences of equated with a capacity to exercise control. power. Hegemonic masculinities are ones in which such The key to this notion is the relationship power is displayed, at least within the terms of between men’s power and their experiences of that particular culture or sub-culture. Perhaps a pain, fear, and alienation. The existence of men’s boy embraces this power because it gives him pain cannot be an excuse for acts of violence or privileges and advantages that girls do not usually oppression at the hands of men. However, it enjoy or, perhaps it is simply a means that allows might enable us to reach out to men with him to feel strong, capable, and grown up. compassion and a message of change even as we Whatever it is, the source of this power is in his are highly critical of particular actions and beliefs. surrounding society, although he quickly learns to exercise it as his own. And so, the collective power of men is perpetuated only in part through 13. This section is based on text in Michael Kaufman, social and cultural institutions and structures. It is “Men, Feminism, and Men’s Contradictory Experiences of Power,” op. cit. and Michael Kaufman, Cracking the also given life and given an individual mechanism Armour: Power, Pain and the Lives of Men, (Toronto: Penguin, 1993).

Michael Kaufman The AIM Framework Page 7 In more concrete terms, the acquisition of analysis and action based on an understanding that hegemonic (and most subordinate) masculinities is the behavior of any group of men is the result of a process through which men come to a least an often contradictory insertion into various partially suppress a range of emotions, needs, and hierarchies of power. It belies any notion that our possibilities, such as nurturing, receptivity, identities and experiences as men can be separated empathy, and compassion, which are associated from our identities and experiences based on the with femininity and experienced as inconsistent color of our skin or our class background or our with the power of manhood. These emotions and sexual orientation. It therefore suggests that needs don’t disappear; they are simply held in struggling against racism or class privilege, for check or not allowed to play as full a role in men’s example, are integral to a struggle to transform lives as would be healthy for themselves and those contemporary gender relations and vice-versa. 4 around them. 1 The ideals of dominant masculinities are, This analysis suggests a peculiar relationship ultimately, childhood pictures of omnipotence, to the stated tasks of feminism. It is true that and, as such, are impossible to attain. Surface addressing and involving men and boys has an appearances aside, no man is completely able to aim of supporting women’s struggles and live up to these ideals and images. challenging men’s power over women. At the As men’s power is challenged by women, same time, once we take account of the impact of those things that once came as a compensation or a male-dominated society on men themselves, a life-long distraction from any potential pain are then the project becomes more broad, not just progressively reduced or, at least, are called into “pro-feminist” but something that is “anti-sexist” question. In other words, if gender is about (in the sense that sexist ideas and practices effect power, then as actual relations of power between both women and men, even if very differently), men and women, and between different groups of “anti-patriarchal,” and “anti-masculinist” (while men, start to shift, then our experiences of gender being clearly male-affirmative, just as it is female- and our gender definitions must also begin to affirmative.) change. The process of gender work is ongoing Today, the rewards of hegemonic masculinity and includes this process of reformulation and are simply not enough to compensate for the pain upheaval. in the lives of so many men. The men in a The notion of contradictory experiences of growing number of cultures are discovering that power, in the plural, provides an analytical tool the pain of trying to conform and live up to the for integrating issues of race, class, age, and impossible standards of manhood outweigh the ethnicity into the heart of work with men and boys rewards they currently receive. In other words, within a GAD framework. It allows us to patriarchy isn’t only a problem for women. The empathetically relate to a range of men’s great paradox of our patriarchal culture (especially experiences, to understand that men’s power is since experiencing significant challenges from non-linear and subject to a variety of social and women) is that the damaging forms of masculinity psychological forces. It suggests forms of within our male-dominated society are damaging not only for women, but for men as well. The implication of all this is that the feminist

14 challenge to men’s power has the potential of . Jeff Hearn suggests that what we think of as masculinity is the result of the way our power and our liberating men and helping more men discover alienation combine. Our alienation increases the lonely new ways of being men. Whatever privileges and pursuit of power and emphasizes our belief that power forms of power men will lose, they will be requires an ability to be detached and distant. Jeff Hearn, The Gender of Oppression, (Brighton: increasingly compensated by the end to the pain, Wheatsheaf Books, 1987).

Michael Kaufman The AIM Framework Page 8 fear, dysfunctional forms of behavior, sense of community. Meanwhile, the economic and social loss, and violence experienced at the hands of changes associated with globalization or simply other men, violence men inflict on themselves, with development have eroded some of the endless pressure to perform and succeed, and the economic and social stability previously enjoyed sheer impossibility of living up to a patriarchal by men. No longer can many men automatically society’s masculine ideals. assume the economic and social privileges their This suggests not only diverse relation to fathers or grandfathers enjoyed. patriarchy but a subjective basis for men’s This combination of the globalization of embrace of change. Our awareness of men’s feminist discourses and the crisis of masculinity contradictory experiences of power gives us the provides significant dangers (the ongoing tools to simultaneously challenge men’s power backlash against feminism, religious and speak to men’s pain. It is the basis for a fundamentalisms, the displacement of the crisis politics of compassion and for enlisting men’s into ethnic hatred or war-mongering). But it also support for a revolution that is challenging the provides unprecedented opportunities: most basic and long-lasting structures of human Efforts to redress gender imbalances and civilization. I explore these implications below. discrimination are increasingly part of the social and cultural mainstream; vii. Crisis of masculinity and globalization of • Men and boys are increasingly looking for feminist discourses. From the beginning of the answers to the problems that confront women’s movement in the mid-1850s, progress them (even if such a search doesn’t was not only slow but limited to a a handful of necessarily take them in a positive or countries. While the rebirth of the movement in healthy direction); the late 1960’s saw the beginning of explosive • Just as the women’s movement and the change in a growing but still relatively limited themes associated with the end of number of countries (especially in western discrimination against women have Europe, North America, and Australia), by the emerged as international themes, so too do 1980’s and particularly through the 1990’s, the we see the diffusion of approaches and women’s movement became a truly international themes concerning men and masculinities. movement and women’s issues came onto the agenda in most parts of the world. This is, indeed, one aspect of globalization 5. THE AIM FRAMEWORK: that is extremely positive. The rapid diffusion of STRATEGICALLY ADDRESSING AND information and ideas, combined with the INVOLVING MEN AND BOYS possibilities of rapid international responses means a reduction in isolation for women around All of the above strongly points to the need to the world. This trend will only increase in the address men and boys because they participate in future. the gender equation and because their lives are This ubiquitous spread of concern for shaped by gender. Consciously and women’s issues and the rise of empowerment of unconsciously, they individually reproduce gender women are one set of factors underlying what has privilege in all facets of their lives. What’s more, been referred to as a crisis of masculinity. since they still control social discourse and Simply put, men’s power has been challenged. resources, we must address men and boys if we The combination of this with the availability of want to ensure success at changing our gender options for family planning in many countries, order and ending discrimination against women changes the gender equation in the home and and girls.

Michael Kaufman The AIM Framework Page 9 But addressing men is not enough. In a sense, to mobilize men and boys to work on their own women have long addressed men, but with only and in partnership with women and girls to partial success. Men must also be involved in transform destructive masculinities, end struggles for gender equality and they must help oppressive gender relations, and promote gender 15 16 define the nature of that participation. One equity and equality. reason for the effectiveness of actual participation This framework is based on the eight is that through participation, men and boys will conceptual tools listed above. More specifically, feel a sense of “ownership” in the problem. This the AIM framework is based on the following doesn’t mean that it is their issue as opposed to strategies and guiding principles. women’s, nor that resources should be directed away from women, women’s organizations, or A. The Primacy of Women’s Oppression and programs aimed at or involving women. Rather it Struggles for Equality and Equity is simply a recognition that many issues that have While our framework takes into account been cast as “women’s issues” are very much men’s experiences of pain, loss and alienation, we “men’s issues” as well: men’s violence against start with the primacy of men’s power and women, the relative absence of men from privilege. We do so not for ideological reasons, childcare and domestic work, and so forth. but because the particular nature and character of Through active involvement, boys and men the negative impact of patriarchy on men is will feel they have a personal relationship to the precisely the result of the way that men have issues and a stake in the process of change. Such learned to exercise individual and social power, a feeling, in turn, will unleash greater energies and and the contradictory experiences of that power. unlock new resources. This is the way to address Thus we are not equating women’s oppression the very real concern about scarce resources with this negative fallout for men. Only by getting siphoned off by/to men and boys. dismantling the gendered hierarchy and the Developing awareness of problems and a personal institutions of patriarchy, will men be able to relationship to the issues means that increasing escape their pain. This is why I suggested that we numbers of men will develop a commitment to are not necessarily addressing men and boys per redirecting resources towards measures promote se in the manner we might address women and 17 gender equality. And increasing numbers of men girls per se. will learn to address the gender dimensions of all This has practical consequences for issues. everything from the allocation of scarce resources

A strategic approach to men and boys 16 The AIM framework is a strategic approach . Of course there are many programs that might address men and boys per se – one can imagine a because the goal isn’t to work with men and boys program on men’s specific health concerns – and, per se. Rather it is to launch particular initiatives while some of these will certainly benefit from the AIM or develop new components of existing programs framework, that is not the particular focus of this paper.

17. When it comes to boys, the issue is more ambiguous. Although in some cultures boys are given 15. For a discussion of how defining the nature of one’s tangible privileges from a very early age (such as participation is critical for effective popular participation, access to more food, escape from certain domestic see, Michael Kaufman, “Community Power, Grass- tasks), the key point is that before they are mature Roots Democracy, and the Transformation of Social enough to assess these unequal privileges and make Life,” (pp. 1-24) and “Differential Participation: Men, decisions to confront them, we can not hold a young W omen and Popular Power,” (pp. 151-170) in Michael boy responsible for the differential treatment he might Kaufman and Haroldo Dilla, eds., Community Power enjoy. In that sense our efforts with young children are and Grass-roots Democracy: The Transformation of absolutely parallel: we are addressing the needs of Social Life (London: Zed Books, 1997). young girls and boys per se.

Michael Kaufman The AIM Framework Page 10 to the language we use when addressing men and This also highlights the importance of relating boys. While we acknowledge their frustrations to men’s own experiences. If we are able, for and fears, we clearly state that only by challenging example, to relate to men’s and boy’s their power and privileges will they (and the contradictory experiences of power, we are much world) be able to move forward. more likely to gain a hearing by those males about Thus, “address and involve” is not the negative consequences for women and girls of counterposed to challenging and confronting men the ways we have defined men’s power. A head- and boys about their attitudes, behaviours, and on challenge to men’s power is often necessary, forms of entrenched privilege and power. Rather, but it often provokes fear and backlash; a it is the means to successfully challenge them. challenge to their power through hooking into men’s own contradictory experiences can promote B. Navigate Through Men’s Fear understanding of their own links to the issues and We must never underestimate the huge problems we are confronting and how they too individual investment that men can make in will benefit from change (in spite of the privileges maintaining their masculinity and maintaining they stand to lose.) This is not to suggest we only power and control. Struggling for gender equality promote change when it is palatable to men; rather puts us up against not only structures of a strategy to promote gender equality and human patriarchy, but also the individual incorporation of rights for women will be most effective if and patriarchal definitions and relations into the when we are able to neutralize men’s fears and psyches of men. Men and boys resist change not find ways for them to embrace change. only because of their learned ideologies and assumptions or even because of their privileges as C. Use the language of responsibility rather than men; they also do so because their whole blame. experiences of themselves and the surrounding In our work to promote gender equality within world often leads to a struggle to hold onto their an AIM framework, we try to avoid a language ephemeral purchase on power and control. Since that leaves all men and boys feeling blamed power is equated with manhood, loss of power because this will simply not be effective. Of equals a loss of manhood. course, we hold individual men and male- One practical consequence is this: challenging dominated institutions responsible for their men and boys can create an irrational reaction actions. But our general orientation should be to based on fear. Fear among those to whom society promote a positive responsibility for change. has given disproportionate power and a license to The language of generalized blame reduces exercise that power is a dangerous thing. sexism to individual relations and individual Thus our approaches must find ways to appeal identity, rather than understanding patriarchy and to some of the very values we are ultimately sexism as systemic and institutional as well. Nor challenging. How we can navigate this challenge? is blame pedagogically useful. Language that One example, if we’re working to end violence leaves males feeling blamed for things they against women, is trying to reach men and boys haven’t done, or for things they were taught to do, based on the notion that “You have the power to or guilty for the sins of other men, simply will end violence against women in your community.” alienate most boys and men. It will promote We are appealing to men’s notion that they are backlash. It will push these individuals up against powerful, but we are here subverting the notion of a wall. It just won’t get us anywhere. power, from one of domination to the power to We can draw on this, for example, in addressing care and nurture. violence against women. While all men – a majority of men in many parts of the world – do

Michael Kaufman The AIM Framework Page 11 not commit individual acts of violence against groups and individual practices allow men to look women, all men must take responsibility for at their individual processes of gender work, how helping end the problem. This is because they have all been mis-shaped by our patriarchal manhood is constructed in the eyes of men and system. It allows them to examine their own because men have long controlled the instruments contradictory relationships to men’s power. It of opinion-making, law-making and allows them to overcome the homophobic fear administration of justice. That violence will that prevents most men from speaking out and continue so long as some men encourage displays challenging sexism. It can give them a new and of violence and so long as other men do not different sense of strength. challenge these versions of manhood or challenge The promotion of men’s groups within a GAD the individual or social acts of violence, or framework is to develop forms of organization challenge society’s permission of the violence,. that explicitly and implicitly challenge “the old Or let’s think about promoting men’s boys’ networks” and the institutions of patriarchy. responsibilities for childcare and domestic work. Although in practise there may be challenges and Men in most cultures have grown up with the conflicts between men’s and women’s belief that earning a living or tending their fields organizations, these can be part of the healthy is precisely the way they support their family. lived reality of changing gender relations. Their economic responsibility is their nurturing responsibility. They likely had no models E. Importance of Men’s and Boys’ Voices themselves for men performing domestic work. Part of the reality of sexism is the privileging Do we blame them for the way they were raised of the male voice. Furthermore, men gauge their and the assumptions they have about their roles? I manhood in the eyes of men, boys gauge their would say no. At the same time we should manhood in the eyes of other boys and men. Thus challenge men to be responsible for the choices it is critical that we mobilize and use the voices of they now make. Thus, we can talk about the men to speak to other men and boys. This might importance of men taking on new responsibilities be the voices of male celebrities or it might simply in the home, for the education and health needs of be a man or boy respected among his peers. their children, and of the many positive benefits More than just their voice (in the sense of a male of this to children, women, and men themselves. voice on a radio advertisement, or a male sports hero on a poster) is the involvement of boys and D. Create and nurture groups of men men in helping design the message to their peers. Any doubts a man has as an individual are This sort of involvement is critical for pinpointing often quickly dismissed by he himself because, in and focussing messages. isolation from other men, a man assumes that he It may seem a sexist decision to say we need alone does not live up to the images and demands to use men’s voices to reach men with the goal of of manhood. The conflict between his individual listening to women’s voices and concerns, but it reality and his gendered expectations is one basic actually is a practical choice thrust on us by a reason why a man engages in behaviours that are sexist reality. If we want to change that reality, destructive to himself and those around him. we must wade in with both feet and find the Simply put, he is trying to prove his manhood. language, approaches and techniques that will This is why developing a social action approach in actually reach and change the behaviour of boys a GAD framework is entirely consistent with (and and men. perhaps ultimately requires) men developing supportive organizations, support groups, and informal ties of intimacy with other men. Such

Michael Kaufman The AIM Framework Page 12 F. Create a Politics of Compassion and the prime source of anguish and disquietude In our public work to end the discrimination by men themselves. and oppression of women, we mustn’t shrink back from a politics of compassion when we address G. Finding Entry Points to Particular Age Groups. men and boys and challenge them to support the We might want to talk, for example, with human rights of women and girls. This means teenaged boys about the problem of wife assault. never losing sight of the negative impact of This is important for those who have, at some contemporary patriarchy on men and boys point of their life, witnessed violence against their themselves even if our framework puts as central mother. It is important they hear a message about the oppression of women. It means avoiding the its unacceptability and it is important they hear language of generalized guilt and blame and this from men as well as from women. It is also substituting for it the language of taking important that we plant a seed that might grow in responsibility for ones own actions and for the minds of all young men in the years ahead. promoting change. However, if we really wish to galvanize teenaged Such a politics of compassion is only possible boys, if we really want to reach them, if we really if we begin from the sex/gender distinction. If want to have a life-long impact on their relations patriarchy and its symptoms were a biological fiat with women, then the key entry point might be on then not only would the problems be virtually building healthy relationships. This is the way intractable, but punishment, repression, blame, these young men can really understand the and guilt would seem to be the necessary immediate relevancy of the issue of violence corollaries. But if we start with the assumption against women. Such work would focus on that the problems are ones of gender – and that communication in relationships, respect, sexual gender refers to particular relations of power that responsibility, sexual violence, and emotional and are socially-structured and individually-embodied verbal abuse. – then we are able to be simultaneously critical of For younger boys, our initiatives might even men’s collective power and the behavior and appear more indirect. In the years where they are attitudes of individual men and to be male forming their self-identity as men, it is critical we affirmative, to say that demolishing patriarchy intervene with work focussed on gender identity. will enhance the lives of men, that change is a Here we have an opportunity to shape their win-win situation but which requires men giving attitudes, behaviours, and expectations. Our work up forms of privilege, power, and control. might productively focus on themes such as On the psycho-dynamic level – the realm in respect and conflict resolution. It might be on which we can witness the interplay between social basic nurturing and domestic skills with the movements and the individual psyche – the emphasis put on self-sufficiency, something every challenge of feminism to men is one of dislodging child aspires to. the hegemonic masculine psyche. This isn’t a The point here is the challenge of taking a psychological interpretation of change because it life-cycle approach. This requires understanding is the social challenge to men’s power and the what are, at different ages, the specific links of actual reduction of men’s social power that is the boys to gender issues. source of change. What was once a secure relationship between power over others/control H. Avoid generalizations and stereotypes over oneself/and the suppression of a range of This is closely tied to the earlier point about men’s own needs and emotions – is under attack. the importance of using language of responsibility What had felt stable, natural, and right is being rather than blame; its implications are seen most revealed as both a source of oppression for others acutely in work to end violence against women.

Michael Kaufman The AIM Framework Page 13 Following the lead of practitioners such as Dale particular), to absolve itself of responsibility for Hurst, let us avoid terms such as “violent man” or addressing the underlying causes of that one “perpetrator.” It is preferable to use the more man’s attitudes and actions. awkward, but more accurate phrase, “a man who Such a pedagogy of responsibility improves uses violence against women.” This is because our chances of actually reaching those men. most such men selectively use violence. The man who goes home and beats his wife may be the I. Work with men and boys to develop their most pleasant man on earth to his workmates and emotional life and a language of emotions. neighbours. Very little of his life is defined by As noted above, one of the common threads in “violence” and he is unlikely to be violent in a the lives of many men is a reduced sense of sociopathic sense. In fact, the whole thrust of empathy, a hampered language of emotions, and feminist scholarship on men’s violence is to stress relative lack of awareness of both their own how “normal” it has become. Even that man who emotions and the feelings of those around them. beats his wife or children, might at another The root of this appears to lie in the moment be caring to them, he might work hard intragenerational absence of men from nurturing 18 because he sees his job as supporting his wife and roles with children. While the solution requires children. He’s not simply a “perpetrator” of long-term changes in the family and the economy, violence against a woman, he may also be a in attitudes and behaviours of men and women, perpetrator of love and responsibility. (I wouldn’t one of the principles of the AIM framework is a want to generalize about this either: he may well different sort of engagement with emotions. be someone who is consistently and This means different things within different overwhelmingly violent and domineering in his forms of intervention. It might mean relations with his wife and children where interventions that directly teach nurturing skills to glimmers of love are distant and rare.) boys or prospective fathers, or teach conflict The point here isn’t to paint him as the hero of resolution skills (that require emotional this story. But neither should we paint most such awareness). Or it might be workshops and men as monsters (although we might paint certain support groups that put boys or men in situations of their actions as monstrous.) Rather it is to paint where they are engaged in a process where their him as a flawed human being who does terrible normal barriers come down and they learn to think things that he must be held accountable for. The and speak openly about their feelings and their point here is one of terminology and its lives. Or it can mean, within campaigns or implications for redress. If we use the terms political action organizations, careful attention to “violent man” or “perpetrator” we are reducing avoid the normal dynamics of men in him to one aspect of his behaviour and personality organizations and, instead, adopting principles and and we are saying that he is different than other forms of organization that promote cooperation men. and trust (especially through organizational Rather, we must understand that the factors structures that are as non-hierarchical as possible), that lead that individual man to commit a seemingly individual act of violence are not about personal pathology (except in rare cases), but are 18. See Nancy Chodorow, The Reproduction of an extreme expression of what we consider Mothering (Berkeley: University of California, 1978), Dorothy Dinnerstein, The Mermaid and the Minotaur normal masculinity. The awkward terminology “a (New York: Harper Colophon, 1977), Jessica Benjamin, man who uses violence against a woman” puts The Bonds of Love (New York: Random House, 1988), responsibility on that man while, at the same time, and Gad Horowitz, Repression. Basic and Surplus Repression in Psychoanalytic Theory (Toronto: does not allow society in general (or men in University of Toronto Press, 1977), and Michael Kaufman, Cracking the Armour, op. cit., chapter 3.

Michael Kaufman The AIM Framework Page 14 and emotional openness among men. The practical value of such a scale is that it might help us measure the impact of different J. Measure men’s attitudinal and behavioral programs and interventions. Right now, most changes – the GEM scale. work in the area is carried out in an intuitive Change needn’t be measured for it to take fashion. Furthermore, such a scale might help us place. However, our efforts could be greatly aided appreciate the process of transition, that it isn’t if we were to find better ways to measure the simply a matter of an individual boy or man being effectiveness of new initiatives aimed at men and “non-sexist” or “gender equitable,” but rather boys. where he is in a process of transition. What appears to be the first such tool, currently under development by Instituto Promundo in Brazil and the Horizons Program 6. COMPREHENSIVE AND DIVERSE (The Population Council) in the US, is the gender RESPONSES WITHIN THE AIM equitable norms and behaviour in men (GEM) FRAMEWORK scale. The set of conceptual tools and the strategies The scale is “a series of attitude questions, and guiding principles that define the AIM some affirming traditional patriarchal beliefs or framework don’t answer the question of exactly values, and others affirming more gender what to do although it is suggestive at times. The equitable beliefs. The questions were combined simple answer to that is extremely broad. together and in testing with a random sample of Because of the varied structures of and men in Brazil, were valid (that is they consistently supports to a patriarchal society, comprising the varied together), and were highly correlated with a state, religious and cultural institutions and number of key behaviours (self-reported use of traditions, family structures and practices, the violence against women and self-reported condom structure of the economy and the gendered use.) Thus, they are useful for assessing where division of labour, individual psychologies, and men are on these issues, as well as measuring the articulation of the structures of gender with changes as a result of men participating in a given other structures and ideologies, there is no magic program activity. The scale contains items that program. For any one problem, say violence were developed out of a specific context. What is against women or the need to increase fathers’ more gender-equitable in a given setting may be participation in parenting and change gender different or impossible to achieve in other relations in the home, we need comprehensive and 9 settings.” 1 diverse responses.

19. Personal correspondence from Gary Barker. In the Brazilian context, the Horizons Program and Instituto health. 3) Assume some responsibility for reproductive Promundo operationalized the term “gender equitable” health and disease prevention issues, such as a belief to refer to young men who: “1) Are respectful in their that both members of the couple should share the relationships with young women and other young men responsibility, and assisting their partner with the and currently seek relationships based on equality and purchase of condoms. 4) Are opposed to violence intimacy rather than sexual conquest and believe that against women in their intimate relationships. This may men and women have equal rights, and that women include young men who report having been violent have as much sexual desire and ‘right’ to sexual toward a female partner in the past, but who currently agency as do men. 2) Would and do seek to be believe that violence against women is not acceptable involved fathers, such as believing that they should behavior, and who do not condone this behavior by take financial and at least some caregiving other men.” Gary Barker and Julie Pulerwitz, responsibility for their children. They have shown this “Promoting More Gender-Equitable Norms and involvement by providing at least some child care, Behavior Among Young Men as a Strategy for showing concern for providing financially for the child, HIV/AIDS Prevention,” (Project Proposal by Instituto and/or take an active role in caring for their child’s Promundo and The Population Council, 2001)

Michael Kaufman The AIM Framework Page 15 Where possible, we would hope that responses • encourage international organizations and in one programmatic area would be integrated. governments to provide more financial 0 But that usually is not the case for the simple and technical assistance to the above. 2 reason that different organizations will take on different parts of the solution. Let me illustrate this with an example, the goal of increasing men’s involvement as fathers, 7. TYPOLOGY AND EXAMPLES OF and promoting responsible and nurturing EFFORTS TO ADDRESS AND INVOLVE fatherhood. Here are just some of the projects, BOYS AND MEN programs, campaigns that would advance this goal Ten years ago, perhaps even five, one could within an AIM framework: have written a short paper summarizing various • research and collect data on father’s programs and projects that are, implicitly, within involvement, on the culturally and an AIM framework. Now, we are in the midst of economic specific barriers to greater an explosion of efforts and approaches. It is well involvement, etc. beyond the scope of this paper to catalogue, let • promote men’s involvement in family alone evaluate, the thousands of initiatives around planning; the world addressing and involving men and boys • promote legal changes (where necessary) for gender equality. and education of health-care providers to However, I would like to suggest a schema for encourage men’s participation in prenatal grouping programs and give a few examples of preparation and childbirth; some best practises that fall within each: • enact government policies to promote • Level One: Addressing Boys and Young paternal leave, conduct public education, Men Through Education and Government and work with employers and trade unions Policies to Involve Them in Self- to promote the benefits of this leave; Reflection, Behavioural and Attitudinal • enact laws to enforce child support in Change cases of separation; • Level Two: Involving boys and men to • conduct public awareness programs to educate and address their peers. promote fathers’ involvement in • Level Three: Involving boys and men in childrearing; defining efforts to address men and boys. • develop and fund school-based programs There are no clear and hard lines between the to teach nurturing skills to boys; three levels; virtually every program has some • carry out community-based reproductive characteristics of another level (or has the health education with married men to potential to have some of its characteristics.) promote sexual responsibility; There is some suggestion of hierarchy of value or • support diverse programs to end violence potential impact in that a level two effort will also against women and children, most of include the features of level one and so forth; but which takes place in the home. a well-designed and well-carried-out level one • support increased social services, program will have far more impact than a poorly including childcare, so families have the designed or carried-out level three program. help they require; • mount public education programs to promote men’s involvement in domestic 20. A 1997 UNICEF publication, “Role of Men in the tasks; Lives of Children,” cites several programmatic examples of strategies to more positively involve men in the lives of children. (Interdivisional Ad Hoc Working Group on Men and Families, Dec. 1, 1997)

Michael Kaufman The AIM Framework Page 16 manuals also conduct training for those who will 1 Level One: Addressing Boys and Young Men use the manuals, although this is not mandatory. 2 Through Education and Government Policies The Youth Relationships Project (YRP), to Involve Them in Behavioural and another impressive effort for educating youth on Attitudinal Change healthy relationships and violence against women, The aim of Level One efforts are to promote is a program developed in London, Canada. The behavioural change and/or changes of attitude YRP is aimed at 14-16 year olds and includes among boys and young men. There is a basic components on woman abuse, violence, sexual amount of involvement in that, in some cases at assault, and date rape, as well as skill least, boys and young men are drawn into a development (conflict resolution and process of discussion, reflection, and soul- communication) and social action. It was searching. extensively tested over five years. It is structured Most current efforts fall into this level. Here is to be offered by classroom teachers as well as by a sample that illustrates, among other things, older students who have been trained in the thematic and geographic diversity. materials; the model is for work with small groups 2 of students in sex-segregated discussions. 2 i. Educational Materials for Boys and Young Men A third example (for both male and females) for Educational and Community Settings: Of a is the three part Healthy Relationships number of examples here, some of the best are the Curriculum, developed by Men For Change materials of “Project H” developed by Instituto (Canada). The three volumes, Dealing With Promundo (Brazil) in partnership with PAPAI and Aggression, “Gender Equality and Media ECOS (Brazil) and Salud y Genero (Mexico). Awareness,” and “Forming Healthy Their ‘Working with Young Men’ is a set of five Relationships” are respectively for use in Grades manuals and an animated video for educators and 7, 8, 9 (approximately 12-15 year olds.) Its health workers who work with young men. There student-centered activities are designed to assist are versions in Portuguese, Spanish and English youth in the development of a range of skills and with plans for adaptation in South and Southeast attitudes necessary to form healthy and equitable 23 Asia. The five manuals cover sexuality and relationships. reproductive health; fatherhood and care giving; reason and emotions (which includes substance ii. Public and professional education on use and suicide); violence and peaceful fatherhood The Mexican organizations coexistence; preventing and living with Salud y Genero and CORIAC (Coletivo de HIV/AIDS. The manuals include an introduction to the issues and group exercises for both educators and adolescent boys. The 21. More information is available at www. accompanying animated video is without dialogue promundo.org.br. so it can be used in multiple settings and adapted 22. David A. Wolfe and Christine Wekerle, “Promoting to other languages. One feature of this set is that Healthy, Non-violent Relationships Among At-risk it appears to be the only such resource specifically Youth,” Final Report to the National Health Research aimed at young men that has undergone a rigorous and Development Program, February 22, 2001. field test (with a long-term impact evaluation 23. For more information: Men for Change (Halifax, study currently underway.) The developers of the Canada), [email protected]; FAX: (902) 457-4597, (902) 457-4351. www.m4c.ns.ca. Another example from Canada is the “Education and Action Kit” prepared by the White Ribbon Campaign (available in English and French), with exercises aimed at teenagers. www.whiteribbon.com.

Michael Kaufman The AIM Framework Page 17 Hombres por Relaciones Iqualitarias) with the participation. This program led to a dramatic support of UNICEF sponsored a national increase in fathers taking parental leave, from 3 campaign of reflection on fatherhood called per cent in 1974 to 51 per cent in 1994. Similarly “How My Daddy Looks to Me.” In 1998 and in Norway, responding to the fact that few men 2000, school children in various parts of the took advantage of parental leave, new rules country were asked to submit paintings and stipulated that one of the twelve potential months drawings, and 250,000 did so. These were widely of parental leave could only be taken by the father displayed, posters and books which served as the and one of the twelve only by the mother. With basis for discussion and awareness-raising in this change, fathers’ participation soared to 70 per 24 8 schools and communities. cent. 2 In Chile, el Centro de Investigación y In Australia, the government is supporting a Desarrollo de la Educación (CIDE) is promoting range of community-based support services for father’s involvement through a training manual men going through relationship breakdowns to and workshops with parents, social service help them re-establish more positive relationships 25 providers and teachers. In the United Kingdom, with their ex-spouses and children. The British Oxfam’s Poverty Programme sees engaging men government has supported the NGO, Fathers 6 as fathers as an entry point to its work with men. 2 Direct in its efforts to raise public awareness. iii. Paternity Leave and Government Action to iv. Boys for babies: This low cost but 27 Encourage Involved Fathers: A different imaginative program in Toronto, Canada treated level of initiative has been the important changes boys as partners in change and took a positive in the Nordic countries to promote father’s approach that focussed on skill development. It involvement in early childhood care. Under sought to build alternative models of manhood legislation in Sweden, for example, fathers and and develop nurturing skills among 10 to 12 year mothers can share ten months of paid parental old boys. Each year from 1982 to 1992, between leave with another month reserved for fathers as a 15 and 20 schools took part in an effort organized specific incentive to encourage fathers’ by one parent, with the support of teachers and parents. They matched each boy with a baby –

24 either in a local daycare centre or younger siblings . “Cómo veo, a mi papá. Por una paternidad más of the boys. Over the course of several weeks, the padre,” Instituto Nacional de las Mujeres, 1998. boys were taught basic caregiving skills, from 25. See, “Fatherhood in Action: work with educators holding to feeding to changing a diaper. From on the importance of father’s involvement” initial scepticism among each new group of boys, http://www.cide.cl/campos/fam-pa.htm.” El Centro de the program always became an instant success. In Investigación y Desarrollo de la Educación, Casilla Postal 13608, Santiago 21, Chile, Tel: 6987153 Fax: spite of the small cost, approximately $400 per 671 8051 http://www.cide.cl/

26 . See, Sue Smith, “Why men, why now?,” Oxfam UK Poverty Programme, 28. I. Haas N and P. Hwang, “Programs and Policies http://www.id21.org/zinter/id21zinter.exe?a=24&i=insig Promoting W omen’s Economic Equality and Men’s hts35art4&u=3e8d9d7e Sharing of Child Care in Sweden,” in I. Haas N, P. Hwang and G. Russell, eds, Orgaizational Change and 27 . A useful article summarizing some of the current Gender Equity: International Perspectives on Fathers research and programs relating to fatherhood is, and Mothers in the Workplace, (Thousand Oaks, CA: Graeme Russell, “Adopting a Global Perspective on Sage, 2000). R.W. Connell, “Men, Masculinities and Fatherhood,” in Bob Pease and Keith Pringle, eds., A Violence,” Keynote address to Seeking Solutions: Man’s World: Changing Men’s Practices in a Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Conference, Globalized World, (London: Zed Books, 2001). Gold Coast, 5 September, 2001.

Michael Kaufman The AIM Framework Page 18 school per year, it was discontinued during a distribute posters and awareness materials 9 round of government cuts in funding to schools. 2 every year. v. Public-awareness campaigns to end violence vi. Vietnam’s child vaccination program: against women: This is the biggest single category Concerned about low rates of child immunization, and represents a huge range of initiatives UNICEF and Save the Children US sponsored a including some within the AIM framework. contest (called “facts for life”) to involve There are many excellent initiatives that Vietnamese men and get them thinking about their explicitly address men and boys. However, in responsibilities as fathers, especially in relation to these efforts to encourage self-reflection and the health of their children. In the end 47,000 men promote behavioural change, involvement is often took part. In one province immunization limited to the presences of well-known men such increased by 90% and use of oral rehydration salts 30 as actors, musicians, writers, sports figures. Here increased by 60%. are a few examples of dozens of such efforts: • a poster and billboard campaign in vii. Programs with men who use violence. Munich, Germany showing a football star Although this work was pioneered in the United brandishing a red card. The caption: “Red States, there are now many different models Card Against Men’s Violence.” around the world. The most prominent North • in Sweden, a series of posters of various American psychoeducational programs – the men, including a police chief, with anger-management programs on one end of the messages against men’s violence; spectrum and what have been described as the • radio advertisements in Pakistan and the pro-feminist programs – are not ones I will focus Phillippines as part of a White Ribbon of here because, in spite of their contributions and Campaign (WRC); strengths, I do not feel they fit completely into the • WRC posters on bus shelters in Beijing AIM framework. with a well-known male or a female actor Models that do, include those developed by holding out their hand in a “stop” signal Dale Hurst in Australia and Marius Raakil and his with a message about ending violence colleagues in Norway. The latter for example against women in the home. goes through a process of having a man • WRC posters in Brazil depicting a football (individually or in a group) focus on his violent team of ordinary men and the caption, “Be behavior, then on taking responsibility for his Part of This Team. Men Against Violence actions, on the connection between personal Against Women.” history and present use of violence, and finally on • a Nicaraguan poster by Association of the dangerous and destructive consequences of his 31 Men Against Violence proclaims, “In our violence behaviour. The former seeks to relationship, I am her partner, not her develop “community-based options and master.” alternatives for men to access help to change • In the United States, a number of local, regional and national men’s organizations 30. Yale/UNICEF Project, The Role of Men in Families, (UNICEF 1997), pp. 78-79.

29. This might be seen as an example of the type of 31. Marius Raakil, “A Norwegian Integrative Model for preparation for parenthood programmes recommended the Treatment of Men Who Batter,” Alternative to in the draft working document, “Gender Socialization in Violence (ATV), Oslo, Norway. Available from ATV, Early Childhood,” UNICEF, Education and Gender Korsgata # 28b, Oslo 0551, Norway, or by writing the Sectors, Program Division, January 31, 2002. author at: [email protected].

Michael Kaufman The AIM Framework Page 19 violent behaviour, before the criminal justice encourage this. For example, the Southern 32 system becomes involved.” The latter has been African AIDS Training Program (SAT) supports a developed among both white working class and program in Malawi to mobilize and train men to Aboriginal men in Australia, as well as in be home-based volunteer caregivers. These men Mongolia by the National Centre Against are trained in tasks (such as bathing and basic 4 Violence in Ulaanbaatar. health care) and also in counselling skills. 3 viii. Stopping the Spread of HIV/AIDS. Along x. Support groups and workshops. Throughout with public awareness programs on domestic the world, there are a growing number of groups violence, this is the major area of international for small numbers of men or boys, some meeting campaigns to address men and boys. A number on an ongoing basis, others as part of a workshop, of the project referred to elsewhere have a strong and yet others as part of a series over the course of component of HIV/AIDS prevention work, but several weeks. These groups work to raise there are many other interesting examples, of awareness, promote self-reflection, and, in some which but one is the “Men, Sex and AIDS” project cases, are tied in with promoting social action. in Botswana which mobilizes volunteers to speak Two, of many, examples are: to teenaged and adult males. They visit schools The Mexican organization, Salud y Genero, based and appear on radio talk shows, conduct in Veracruz and Quéretaro, has run men’s workshops, and have organized a men against rape workshops and other activities in 24 states in march. An important part of their educational Mexico, as well as throughout Central America work is carried out in the sheebens, the drinking and Peru. Its workshops with men (it also does spots in low income areas. They get permission workshops with women) employ a number of from the woman owner to come in, then ask to exercises to give men the opportunity to examine join groups of men with an offer to buy a beer for their socialization and health issues, trying to them, and then guide them through an informal develop greater self-awareness, emotional discussion on sex, STIs, and HIV, providing them expression, and awareness of a range of gender 3 with information along the way. 3 issues in order to apply what they learn within their own lives. It is also now engaging in more 35 ix Living with HIV/AIDS and new models of train-the-trainer workshops. manhood: The AIDS crisis is the crucible for new models of manhood. The rapid spread of HIV/AIDS in the gay community in North 34. “Community Responses 1: Mobilizing Men as America led to the transformation of that Home-Based Care Volunteers.” at community in terms of the emergence of new http://www.satregional.org/pubs/Community_Response s_1.pdf. SAT is a partnership program that supports a institutions and models of caregiving among men. range of programs in Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Elsewhere, there are programs that consciously Zambia, Zimbabwe, and has a range of publications, including on mainstreaming gender in response to AIDS, and counselling guidelines on topics such as AIDS and domestic violence and on sexual abuse of 32 . Dale Hurst, “Transcultural Masculinities: children. SAT, 3 Luck Street P. O. Box 390 Kopje, Engagement Of Men In Domestic Violence Prevention: Harare, Zimbabwe, 263 4 781-123, fax: 263 4 752- Key Issues,” Presentation to Violence Against Women 609, [email protected], www.satregional.org. Also see, Conference: Understanding the Complexities of Robert Morrell, “Mobilising young men to care,” Violence Against Women: Meanings-Culture- http://www.id21.org/education/EgveMorrell.html Difference, Sydney, 2002.

33. Botswana National Youth Council, P/Bag BO 108 35. Benno de Keijzer, Emma María Reyes, Olivia Gaborone, Botswana, 267 3922 110, FAX: 267 3922 Aguilar, Gisela Sánchez and Gerardo Ayala, 899, [email protected]. “Constructing New, Gender-Equitable IdentitiesSalud y

Michael Kaufman The AIM Framework Page 20 The Association of Men Against Violence youth in the high schools of Windhoek, and (which also runs a national public awareness among the pastoral Ju/’hoansi of the Nyae-Nyae campaign on VAW) runs workshops throughout Dobe – shows a high correlation between Nicaragua on gender, masculinity and violence, women’s empowerment/autonomy and low sero- 6 set up as a series of five day-long workshops. 3 positive rates (among the latter group) and high rates among the very patriarchal culture of the 38 xi. Research and outreach on new models of Owambo people. masculinity: Research efforts, especially those leading to publications or other media resources, Level Two Efforts: Involving Boys and Men to can be an effective way to address men. One Educate Their Peers breakthrough example was Ruth Finney Level Two activities can be step forward in that Hayward’s book, Breaking the Earthenware Jar, they encourage a more widespread involvement in published by UNICEF The significance of this advocacy and educational efforts. Here are some book was not only in providing the first examples: exhaustive account of the dimensions and contours of violence against women and girls in i. Mobilizing men work to end FGM in Central South Asia, but the documentation of efforts to and East Africa: A number of programs end the violence and the lessons, implicit and (including in Sudan, Gambia, Egypt and Senegal) explicit, coming out of those efforts. Apropos of working to end FGM and other harmful traditional involving men, one very notable feature, was that practices, have made an explicit orientation to it treated men not only as part of the problem, but involve men. Community and religious leaders a key part of the solution. It included many men have been mobilized to speak out, lead petition among the activists and practitioners it highlighted drives, and issue religious declarations. In the and discussed the importance of new models of case of Sudan, for example, the SNCTP is 7 masculinity. 3 attempting to draw on religious leaders in other Another example is the training and research countries in an attempt to pressure local imans to project on HIV/AIDS carried out in Namibia over issue a fatwah on the issue. In Senegal, Tostan the past six years. Comparative research among organized a drive that has led to over 100 villages three populations – in Owamboland (the epicenter signing a declaration banning FGM, with male of Namibia’s AIDS epidemic), among urban community, religious and political leaders playing an important role. BAFROW in Gambia has Género’sWork With Men to Change Gender Norms and mobilized men as well as women to promote Prevent Violence,” Salud y Genero, 2002. Carlos M. alternative coming-of-age ceremonies for girls. In Palacios No. 59 Col. Venustiano Carranza, Xalapa, Ver. C.P. 91070, Egypt, CEDPA has worked with community Mexico, tel: 228 8 18 93 24, [email protected] organizations to mobilize doctors and religious leaders, as well as other men and women from the 36 . Associacion de Hombres Contra la Violencia , 9 community. 3 Apdo Postal 5242, Managua, Nicaragua, 505-249-46- 97, [email protected]. Many of those who run these workshops were trained by Centre for Popular Education and Communications (Cantera), Repto. 38. The project, by Richard B. Lee and his colleagues Pancasan, Apdo. A-52, De Plaza el Sol, 2c. al sur, 1c. including Scholastika Iipinge, Pombili Ipinge, and Ida arriba, Managua, Nicaragua. 505-277-5329, Susser, involved a six year long training and research [email protected], www.oneworld.org/cantera. program. For further information: [email protected]. 37. Ruth Finney Hayward, Breaking the Earthenware 39 Jar. Lessons from South Asia to End Violence Against . Sudan National Committee on Traditional Practices Women and Girls. Kathmandu: UNICEF, Regional Affecting the Health of W omen and Children (SNCTP), Office for South Asia, 2000. P.O Box 10418 Khartoum, Sudan,

Michael Kaufman The AIM Framework Page 21 ii. Involving men and boys through media. In • in South Africa, a number of men’s 1998, UNICEF and the South Asia regional marches have directly involved men. offices of Save The Children (UK) supported the Innovative educational initiatives (such as production of films on masculinities in “guerrilla theatre” in bars) have sought to Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan. The films, spark discussion and debate; to address the experiences and processes related to • in Nicaragua, in addition to radio and TV masculinities, provided a platform to initiate a ads, there has been training of activists discourse with young people, especially boys and (primarily men) and ongoing distribution young men. These non-didactic films had the goal of pamphlets and educational materials in of starting a discourse at the general level of markets. experience as a way into wide-ranging issues • in Cambodia, the Cambodian Men’s covering school, family, relationships, gender Network and GADnet has organized conflicts, abuse, violence, and HIV/AIDS. The hundreds of students and other community films, with discussion guidelines, have been used members to fan out to markets across the in meetings and workshops throughout the region country to distribute white ribbons and a and beyond, but most particularly in India, where flyer that declared: “Violence against 0 they’ve been screened in all major cities. 4 women is above all a men’s problem which men themselves have to resolve: iii. Involving men and boys to educate their peers Stop all forms of discrimination against to end violence against women: There are diverse women. Stop domestic violence. Stop sex activities that promote a high degree of trafficking. Stop sexual harassment.” involvement by boys and men. Here are a few • in Canada, a WRC poster features a examples: headline, “These men want to put an end • on college and university campuses across to violence against women” followed by the United States, male students train other 100 blank lines. Posters are put up in male students to carry out public schools, stores, and workplaces for men information campaigns including forums, and boys to sign. It is a collective gesture information tables, leafleting, and posters; of breaking men’s silence and of taking a • in Pakistan, the NGO ROZAN mobilizes stand against violence. Some versions of and trains volunteers to be at gas stations the poster come pre-printed with the distributing information to men on the signatures of a 20 well-known Canadian WRC and the need for men to speak out men followed by blank lines. This poster on violence against women; has been adapted in other countries. [email protected], www.snctp.org. TOSTAN, Level Three Efforts: Involving Boys and Men in BP 326, Thies, Senegal. www.tostan.org, Defining Efforts to Address Men and Boys [email protected], 221-951-1051. The Foundation for There are few examples of Level Three efforts. Research on Women’s Health, Productivity and the Environment (BAFROW ), 214 Tafsir Demba Mbye Here “involving” means more than a learning Road, Banjul, The Gambia, 220-225-270, activity that men or boys participate in or even [email protected]. Centre for Development and facilitate. It means activities that boys and men Population Activities (CEDPA) 53 Manial Street, Suite 500, Manial El Rodah, Cairo, 11451, Egypt. 2-02-365- can actually shape and direct. Of course a number 4567, [email protected], www.cedpa.org. of the activities and programs listed above have an element of that, in that they are developed by 40 . Indian filmmaker Rahul Roy took the lead in this men’s organizations. But here I give examples of project. For more information, contact: Rahul Roy, [email protected] and, at Save the Children (UK): Ranjan Poudyal, [email protected],

Michael Kaufman The AIM Framework Page 22 programs where involvement in defining activities reach the men and boys in their community. This is at their core. has produced some idiosyncratic activities, but ones that are in synch with those around them: i. The White Ribbon Campaign: The campaign one school holds a male talent show to raise aims to mobilize the voice of men and boys. money for a woman’s shelter, a sports team holds Wearing or displaying a white ribbon is a public a benefit game, a group of students make a video, pledge never to commit, condone, nor remain a church hangs a huge white ribbon from its silent about violence against women, and it is a steeple, trolley drivers hang ribbons from their call on governments and other institutions vehicles, a condom manufacturer prints a white controlled by men to seriously address the issue. ribbon and the word “respect” on condom White Ribbon’s basic philosophy is that while not packages, a beer company inserts a white ribbon all men are responsible for committing violence into every case of beer, a medical journal features against women, all men and boys must take a white ribbon on its cover, a corporation has a responsibility for helping end it. It is non-partisan meeting for all its employees, a trade union and attempts to include men from across the social distributes ribbons to miners coming out of a coal and political spectrum. It works with women’s pit and another to workers streaming out of an organizations and urges men to listen to the voices auto plant, parliamentarians wear ribbons, and so and concerns of women; it conducts public forth. awareness campaigns and involves high-profile The importance of these activities isn’t only men in speaking out against the violence; it the activities themselves. The WRC aims to give 1 provides resources for work in schools. 4 boys and men the structure, the encouragement, In addition to a number of activities of the sort and some tools to work as allies with girls and mentioned in previous sections, one of the most women to end violence against women. interesting features is its decentralized nature which aims at encouraging as much local initiative ii. Conferences to promote men’s involvement: and involvement as possible. While a campaign There are a growing number of examples, but one in a particular community or school or country particular conference provides a good example of may draw on ideas from other campaigns, a basic directly promote men’s initiative and tenant of the WRC is the importance of involvement. UNICEF provided some financial individuals and groups of men and boys (and in support. some cases, mixed groups of men and women, The Namibia National Men’s Conference, boys and girls) figuring out what will work best to which attracted 250 men in the year 2000, was the first of its kind in the world: a national conference to educate grassroots men about the problem of 41. Begun in Canada in 1991, the White Ribbon Campaign has since spread – to varying degrees of violence against women and for them to plan public profile and activity – to become the largest effort strategies to work to end the problem on return to in the world of men working to end violence against their communities. Participants came from all women. There are or have been WRC activities or use over the country and ranged from their twenties to of the WRC symbol in at least thirty-five countries [58 countries as of 2008], including, in Asia and the Middle their seventies; they were respected elders, clergy East (Armenia, Australia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, or teachers, farmers, students, or unemployed. China, India, Israel, Japan, Pakistan, the Philippines, Only a minority arrived with an awareness of the Sri Lanka, Taiwan, and Vietnam), Europe (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, England, Finland, Georgia, issues and thus were very representative of the Germany, Lithuania, Norway, Russia, Spain, and men in their communities. Sweden), Africa (Morocco, Namibia, South Africa), We decided at the outset of planning that this Latin America and the Caribbean (Brazil, Guyana, Nicaragua, Trinidad, Uruguay), the United States and conference should depart from the usual formal Canada. For more information: www.whiteribbon.com

Michael Kaufman The AIM Framework Page 23 conference format. Our goal was to actually iv. Conferences and workshops to bring women involve men in a process of discussion and and men together as allies. UNICEF’s South introspection, one that would allow them to relate Asia Regional Meeting on violence against the issue of violence against women to issues of women in October 1997 is a good example not masculinity, gender relations, and power in the only of bringing women and men together for family and community. discussion, but of involving both sexes in The conference was proceeded by a careful networking and planning. One of the themes of planning process: a working group based in the the conference, which brought together 120 capital of Windhoek, 25 consultative meetings women and men in Kathmandu, was the throughout the country, and a facilitation training importance of new models of masculinity as part workshop on the day before the conference. The of the solution to violence against women. three day conference included presentations by male and female speakers but centered on small group discussions and facilitated exercises having 7. Conclusion to do with gender identity, power relations These diverse examples, representing only a small between the sexes, men’s own contradictory portion of emerging national and international experiences of power, and, of course, the problem efforts, show the effervescence of activities to of violence against women. On the final day, address and involve men and boys. The AIM regional groups developed action plans. framework provides an approach for planning, In the months that followed, Namibia Men delivery, and evaluation; it provides a conceptual For Change was established and exists to this day. framework and a set of operating principles that Regional and local groups have held can be enlisted, but also adapted and modified, in demonstrations and meetings in villages and the years ahead. towns across the country, and have spoken in churches and schools.42 Michael Kaufman [email protected] iii. Networking potential of the new media. In its www.michaelkaufman.com Virtual Seminar Series on “Men’s Roles and Not to be reproduced without permission. Responsibilities in Ending Gender-Based Violence,” INSTRAW conducted a collaborative on-line discussions in 2001 on causes of gender- based violence and working with men in order to end violence. Some 560 people from 46 different countries signed on to receive and, if they chose, to discuss six seminar papers and concluding remarks by the facilitators.43

42 . The report on this conference, “Namibian Men Against Violence Against Women: Report on the National Conference in Windhoek on 23-25 February 2000,” is available at: http://www.lac.org.na/deptproj/grap/default.htm#namec

43 . James Lang was the moderator of the discussion. time of writing, another online discussion, “Building The seminar papers and an archive of the entire Partnerships to End Men’s Violence,” was being discussion are at: http://www.un- initiated in North America to be held between May and instraw.org/en/research/mensroles/index.html. At the July 2003: www.endabuse.org/bpi.

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