Training Manual on Masculinities and Engaging Men To End Gender Based Violence

Published by African Women’s Development and Communication Network (FEMNET), this training manual forms part of the Men to Men Programme which seeks to create a critical mass of African men who are able to influence communities, organisations, and the public to believe in and practise gender equality as a norm. The manual is based on a sequence of sessions FEMNET uses in conducting gender training of trainers sessions and provides content for trainers as well as facilitation tips.

The manual has nine sessions:

• Session 1: Getting Acquainted - prepares the users for the training workshop. It focuses on preliminary processes such as ice breaking, harmonising the training objectives with participants' expectations, establishing ground rules, and setting up workshop committees.
• Session 2: Key Terminology - defines key terms related to the content. In order to avoid overloading the session with definitions, terms specific to later sessions are defined under those sessions.
• Session 3: Turning Boys into Men - analyses social construction of gender and how socialisation influences behaviour, beliefs, attitudes, and practices of individuals, communities, and nations. It illustrates how masculinities and femininities are constructed, the agents that are involved and the consequences with specific reference to violence and the spread of HIV/AIDS.
• Session 4: The Role of Men in Gender Based Violence - discusses different forms of GBV and their impact on individuals, families, and the society. It highlights the role of men in perpetrating GBV, men as victims of GBV, and what men can do to combat GBV.
• Session 5: Negative Masculinity, Gender Based Violence & HIV/AIDS - seeks to equip users with information about HIV/AIDS and the link between masculinity, GBV, and the spread of HIV/AIDS in the context of women's rights.
• Session 6: Gender and Masculinities Analysis - provides users with a systematic way of analysing gender issues using selected frameworks.
• Session 7: Adult Learning and Communication of Masculinity Issues - looks at adult learning principles and concepts in communication in order to help users maximise on the knowledge imparted to them.
• Session 8: Planning and Managing a Training Event for Men - illustrates how to plan, prepare, facilitate and conduct training events. It also gives hints on what to do or not do in a training event targeting men.
• Session 9: Evaluation and Reporting - provides users with guidance on assessing the usefulness, effectiveness and appropriateness of a training workshop for men. It gives sample approaches that can be used.