Working with Men in Positions of Political Power
We believe that transformative leadership is the ability to change oneself (and the world) for the better.
That is why MenEngage Alliance is coordinating a new initiative built on a simple but transformative premise: men in positions of political power can be part of the solutions for gender equality and social justice. We know that many already are, and others can be supported to turn uncertainty and ambivalence into commitment and accountable action.
With this initiative, we aim to strengthen how we engage with men in positions of political power. It deepens the process through which we accompany male political leaders to understand how gender socialization shapes their leadership, how patriarchal ways of doing politics reproduce inequality and harm people, and how they can use their power to advance gender equality, climate and social justice.
Why this initiative?
We are living through a time of profound uncertainty: democratic erosion, increasing injustice and inequality, global economic instability, militarization and climate change. One thing is clear, these challenges emerge from a crisis in leadership: political systems have too often rewarded short-term capital and political gain, elite interests, domination, and control over people and the planet.
Because men continue to hold the vast majority of positions of formal political power worldwide, transforming political leadership must include confronting how dominant ideas of masculinity — toughness, aggression, control, competition, status, and the suppression of vulnerability — can shape how power is exercised, institutions are governed, and difference is treated.
This is not simply a question of who holds power, but of how power is understood and used: whether political leadership reinforces hierarchy and exclusion or advances democracy, and equality for all. Transforming the ways men in political power understand and practice leadership is essential to breaking the links between masculinity, domination, authoritarianism, and backlash, and to advancing more visionary forms of leadership, solidarity and power-with.
How will this initiative achieve this change?
The overarching theory of change starts from the premise that transforming political leadership requires transforming both the people who hold power and the systems in which they exercise it. The aim is therefore to move beyond a model of the “male champion” where support for gender equality remains largely public, pedestaled and performative, towards men stepping into being co-strugglers and co-conspirators who understand themselves as part of a collective struggle for gender, social and ecological justice.
At its core, we seek to achieve a deeper level of transformation within and without.
This transformation is understood as happening across three interconnected levels: internal, institutional and systemic. At the internal level, men in positions of political power are invited to exercise personal leadership to transform as human beings, and examine how their socialization as men, including gender norms and stereotypes, shapes how they relate to power, leadership and others; at the institutional level, they are invited to become institutional transformers, who can challenge and shift organizational cultures, norms and practices; and at the systemic level, they are invited to act as co-carriers of a vision of public leadership grounded in interdependence, solidarity, care and the common good.
The intended shift is therefore not simply that men in power know more or express stronger support for equality, but that they lead differently and use their positions to catalyze wider change.
What is the value addition of this initiative?
We build on the foundation of several decades of experience as an Alliance on supporting men to shift. We believe that more long-term, and deeper transformative work is required to change the way men lead and the political spaces in which they operate. We believe the goal moves beyond performance to visionary leadership.
The initiative is not one-size fits all: it does not begin with a stand-alone toolkit or a standard set of sessions. It begins with context and power analysis. The approach should be adapted to the political institution, sector, role, seniority, institutional culture and readiness of the people involved. Practitioners will be able to draw on innovative activities, as well as on existing toolkits and partner resources when needed.
The work should be developed with local actors and in partnership with women’s rights organizations, women political leaders and other affected groups. Accountability and follow-through should be built into the process from the beginning.
What next?
This initiative will launch with a bold new brand identiy along with its first key resources:
The strategy:
The strategy will provide the overall framework for this work. It will help practitioners understand the political terrain, make informed choices about whom to engage and how, design context-specific interventions, and connect personal reflection with institutional and policy change.
The methodology:
The methodology will translate the strategy into adaptable approaches for practice. It will be co-created with MenEngage members and partners. It will not be a fixed curriculum or a single manual. Instead, it will bring together different ways to convene men in political power and facilitate sessions or longer engagement processes that practitioners can select, combine and adapt.
Both resources seek to build a flexible repertoire of strategies, approaches and activities that can enter the work from different points and be adapted to different political contexts, levels of power, institutions, geographic realities, relationships and degrees of commitment. Some activities may directly invite internal transformation, others may work through institutional or professional concerns, while others build on existing masculinities work or experiment with new approaches.
All of these resources have been developed in coordination and with the guidance and inputs of women’s rights organization partners, Government allies, MenEngage Alliance members and more.