This week representatives of Civil Society Organizations in Rwanda are being trained by the Aegis Trust on how to influence their core mission, vision and activities to positively encourage men and boys to enhance gender equality.
Promoting positive forms of masculinity is an important contribution to a stable and peaceful future for Rwanda, helping to achieve gender equality and end violence against women and girls.
‘Promoting Positive Masculinities: attitude and behaviour change through education, dialogue and civil society capacity building’ is a project being conducted by Aegis in collaboration with local government, supported by the Embassy of Belgium in Rwanda.
Aiming to embed transformative approaches to gender within public institutions and civil society organizations to influence wider positive attitude and behavioral change, the training sessions involve over six hundred participants from Government agencies, CSOs, businesses and Faith and Religious Based Organizations (FBOs).
“This training is a plus to my work but also to me as a person,” says Janvière, a CSO participant from Kicukiro District. “In secondary school, I got pregnant after being raped.… I decided that I will never trust any person and will live on my own. With the training I came to understand people around me and commit to support teenagers to overcome stigma and stand against gender-based violence…. I wish Aegis could reach more Rwandans”.
Topics covered by the training include understanding of gender and sex; gender socialization; patriarchy and masculinities; gender power relations and male privilege; gender-based violence; human rights and diversity, and the framework for building positive masculinities.
