New program for promoting gender equality and for fighting violence against women

In collaboration with Promundo organization, ABAAD association launched yesterday the ‘R Program’ aimed at creating a sustainable behavioral pattern among boys and men to promote gender equality in Lebanon. The name as it tells in Arabic is derived from ‘man’. It is a way to encourage the male sex to break gender stereotypes and to start questioning the traditional inferences of the concept of masculinity, and hence participate in ending all forms of discrimination against their women partners. The program is built on a strategic training methodology to capacitate the youth through raising awareness and seeking to replace gender patterns, particularly in matters related to non-violent sexual and reproductive health rights, abuse and gender equality. It is also based on the ‘Programme H’ (working with young men) that has been applied in some 22 countries in the framework of plans to end violence against women. It should be noted, that ABAAD, winner of the ‘Womanity’ award, has adapted the program to be consistent with the Lebanese context, while taking into account the emerging issue of refugees. The program targets young men aged between 18 to 24 years living in marginalized communities and brought up in areas of conflict and are pigeon-holed as male chauvinists, with one aim to sensitize them on relevant approaches that help restrain misled notions of gender discrimination and male violence. The program is divided across many aspects and includes interactive workshops, as well as discussions and games that address the traditional bringing up of men and women and its impact on society. (Al Mustaqbal, July 15, 2016)