Working with Men and Boys to Prevent Gender-Based Violence

Introduction

Gender-based violence cannot be prevented through support to survivors alone. While protection, justice and recovery services remain essential, sustainable prevention also requires addressing the social norms, behaviours, attitudes and power structures that can contribute to violence.

Men and boys are therefore not only part of the population affected by gender norms; they are also essential partners in transforming those norms and preventing violence.

A comprehensive prevention strategy should move beyond messages that simply condemn violence. It should create practical opportunities for men and boys to develop non-violent behaviours, respectful relationships, positive forms of masculinity and greater responsibility toward women, girls, children and their communities.

Working with men and boys must consequently be understood as a strategic component of gender equality and violence-prevention programming.

1. Why Men and Boys Matter in Prevention

Gender-based violence is influenced by social and cultural environments. Ideas about authority, masculinity, family roles, relationships and acceptable behaviour can shape how individuals understand power and conflict.

Boys learn attitudes about gender from:

• Families.
• Schools.
• Peer groups.
• Communities.
• Religious and cultural environments.
• Traditional and digital media.
• Social networks.
• Entertainment and popular culture.

When harmful stereotypes are repeatedly normalized, they can influence behaviour later in life.

Prevention must therefore begin before violence occurs and provide young people with alternative models based on respect, equality, responsibility and peaceful conflict resolution.

2. From Awareness to Behavioural Change

Awareness campaigns are important, but information alone does not necessarily change behaviour.

A stronger approach combines:

Knowledge → Reflection → Skills → Behavioural Change → Accountability

Men and boys need opportunities to examine how gender expectations affect relationships and decision-making.

Programmes can address practical issues such as:

• Managing anger without violence.
• Communicating respectfully.
• Resolving disagreements peacefully.
• Understanding consent and personal boundaries.
• Rejecting harassment.
• Sharing household responsibilities.
• Supporting women’s participation in community life.
• Challenging discriminatory stereotypes.
• Recognizing early signs of abusive behaviour.

The objective is not simply to tell people that violence is wrong, but to develop the knowledge and skills required to prevent it.

3. Challenging Harmful Concepts of Masculinity

One important area of prevention is the examination of harmful expectations surrounding masculinity.

Some social environments may associate masculinity with:

• Dominance.
• Aggression.
• Control.
• Emotional suppression.
• Economic authority.
• Physical strength.
• Sexual entitlement.

Such expectations can create pressure on boys and men while also contributing to unhealthy relationships.

Prevention programmes can promote alternative forms of masculinity based on:

• Responsibility.
• Empathy.
• Respect.
• Emotional intelligence.
• Cooperation.
• Caregiving.
• Non-violent communication.
• Equality within relationships.

This does not mean criticizing men as a group. It means creating healthier social expectations that benefit individuals, families and communities.

4. Engaging Boys from an Early Age

Prevention should not wait until young people become adults.

Schools, youth organizations and community programmes can provide boys with age-appropriate education on:

• Respect for others.
• Equality between girls and boys.
• Healthy friendships.
• Conflict resolution.
• Emotional expression.
• Bullying prevention.
• Online behaviour.
• Respect for personal boundaries.

Early intervention can help challenge harmful attitudes before they become deeply established.

5. Men as Positive Community Actors

Men can also become powerful allies in community prevention.

Community-based programmes can engage:

• Teachers.
• Parents.
• Youth leaders.
• Community volunteers.
• Sports coaches.
• Journalists.
• Local civil society leaders.
• Religious and community figures.
• Professional associations.

These actors can help communicate positive messages and challenge practices that normalize violence or discrimination.

The objective should be to build a broader culture in which preventing violence becomes a shared community responsibility.

6. Fathers and Positive Parenting

Fathers have an important role in shaping children's understanding of relationships, respect and gender roles.

Positive parenting programmes can encourage fathers to:

• Communicate with children without violence.
• Participate actively in caregiving.
• Model respectful relationships.
• Avoid physical punishment.
• Encourage emotional expression.
• Treat daughters and sons with equal dignity.
• Teach children peaceful conflict resolution.

Children often learn more from observed behaviour than from formal messages. The behaviour of adults therefore has an important educational impact.

7. Preventing Violence Within Families

Family-based prevention should address the conditions that can contribute to conflict and violence.

Programmes can strengthen:

• Communication between partners.
• Parenting skills.
• Household cooperation.
• Economic resilience.
• Stress management.
• Emotional support.
• Knowledge of available protection services.

However, prevention programmes must avoid presenting poverty, unemployment or family stress as excuses for violence. These factors may increase vulnerability or pressure, but responsibility for violent behaviour remains essential.

8. Engaging Men in Survivor Support

Men can also contribute to creating safer environments for survivors.

Positive engagement may include:

• Challenging victim-blaming attitudes.
• Supporting survivors' right to seek assistance.
• Rejecting jokes and language that normalize violence.
• Encouraging safe reporting mechanisms.
• Promoting respect for confidentiality.
• Helping communities understand available services.

At the same time, survivor safety must remain the central consideration. Engagement with men should never compromise the confidentiality, autonomy or protection of survivors.

9. Working with Men Who Use Violence

Prevention also requires appropriate responses for individuals who have used abusive or violent behaviour.

Where specialized programmes exist, interventions may focus on:

• Recognizing harmful behaviour.
• Accepting responsibility.
• Understanding consequences.
• Developing non-violent coping mechanisms.
• Challenging beliefs that justify control or abuse.
• Improving communication.
• Preventing repeated violence.

Such programmes should be evidence-informed and designed within appropriate safeguarding and accountability frameworks.

Importantly, programmes addressing perpetrators should complement—not replace—services for survivors.

10. Digital Environments and Young Men

The digital environment has become an important space where gender attitudes are formed and reinforced.

Young men may encounter online content that:

• Normalizes harassment.
• Promotes misogynistic stereotypes.
• Encourages humiliation or intimidation.
• Spreads harmful misinformation.
• Promotes aggressive models of masculinity.

Digital prevention therefore needs to include media literacy and critical thinking.

Young people should be encouraged to question harmful online narratives rather than automatically accepting them.

11. Sports and Youth Programmes as Prevention Platforms

Sports clubs and youth organizations can provide valuable environments for prevention.

Coaches and youth workers can integrate messages concerning:

• Teamwork.
• Respect.
• Discipline.
• Equality.
• Emotional control.
• Non-violent conflict resolution.
• Respectful competition.

Sport should not simply be considered recreation; when properly designed, it can become a platform for positive social development.

12. Measuring Behavioural Change

Strong programmes require more than counting participants.

Organizations should consider measuring:

• Changes in knowledge.
• Changes in attitudes.
• Changes in gender norms.
• Changes in reported behaviours.
• Participation in prevention activities.
• Confidence in using non-violent conflict-resolution skills.
• Willingness to challenge harmful behaviour among peers.
• Community perceptions of gender equality.

Evaluation should help determine whether interventions are producing meaningful change rather than simply demonstrating activity.

13. Safeguarding and Ethical Considerations

Programmes involving men and boys must be designed with strong safeguarding principles.

Organizations should ensure:

• Safe participation.
• Appropriate staff training.
• Clear codes of conduct.
• Confidentiality.
• Protection of children.
• Safe reporting mechanisms.
• Appropriate responses to disclosures of violence.
• Clear referral pathways.

A prevention programme must never create new risks for participants or survivors.

14. The Role of Civil Society Organizations

Civil society organizations can act as important bridges between communities, institutions and international development partners.

ATEP MED considers that civil society organizations can contribute through:

1. Community research and needs assessments.
2. Awareness and prevention campaigns.
3. Training programmes.
4. Youth engagement.
5. Positive parenting initiatives.
6. Community dialogue.
7. Digital awareness programmes.
8. Documentation of emerging trends.
9. Referral to specialized protection services.
10. Advocacy for stronger prevention policies.

Their proximity to communities can provide valuable insight into local attitudes, barriers and opportunities for change.

15. A Comprehensive Prevention Model

An effective strategy should not rely on one intervention.

A comprehensive model can connect:

Early Education
↓
Positive Parenting
↓
Healthy Relationships
↓
Community Engagement
↓
Men and Boys as Allies
↓
Early Identification of Harmful Behaviour
↓
Appropriate Intervention
↓
Accountability and Behavioural Change
↓
Safer Communities

This approach recognizes that prevention is a long-term process rather than a single awareness campaign.

16. Key Recommendations

To strengthen the involvement of men and boys in GBV prevention, organizations and institutions should:

1. Integrate gender equality education into youth programmes.
2. Develop age-appropriate prevention programmes for boys.
3. Promote positive and non-violent models of masculinity.
4. Engage fathers in positive parenting initiatives.
5. Train teachers, coaches and community leaders.
6. Create safe spaces for young men to discuss gender expectations.
7. Address online misogyny and digital harassment.
8. Support men who actively challenge violence in their communities.
9. Develop appropriate interventions for individuals who use violence.
10. Maintain strong survivor-centered safeguards throughout all programmes.
11. Establish measurable indicators of behavioural and social change.
12. Strengthen partnerships between civil society, public institutions and international organizations.

Conclusion

Preventing gender-based violence requires a transformation of the environments in which attitudes, relationships and behaviours develop.

Men and boys have a central role in this transformation. They can challenge harmful norms, model respectful relationships, support positive parenting, promote equality and become active partners in building safer communities.

A successful prevention strategy therefore does not treat men and boys simply as potential perpetrators or passive recipients of awareness campaigns. It recognizes them as important stakeholders whose participation, accountability and behavioural change are necessary for long-term progress.

The strongest prevention systems combine education, community engagement, behavioural change, survivor protection, accountability and institutional coordination.

For civil society and development organizations, investing in this comprehensive approach can contribute to stronger prevention systems and more sustainable progress toward communities free from violence against women and children.

Prepared and supervised by Mohamed Chaeib
ATEP MED – Arab Center for Digital Media and Development