Field-building

MenEngage Alliance serves as a platform for field-building and collective action; a space where individuals and organizations converge and collaborations take root among practitioners, researchers, policy-makers, funding partners and other stakeholders working to transform patriarchal masculinities and engage men and boys to advance gender equality.

History has shown that structural change is possible, when people come together in progressive movements. In today’s globalised world, issues obstructing people’s health and well-being are interconnected and we believe that they are therefore better tackled collectively. Exploring and building new ways to nurture the field as a movement-building practice is therefore a significant part of the work of MenEngage Alliance.

MenEngage Alliance proudly encompasses a diverse range of people and organizations, including those focused on women’s rights, climate justice, youth-led movements, and LGBTQI+ rights. This inherent diversity fosters a rich and dynamic environment for intersectional and bottom-up movement building for members and partners.

By nurturing diverse and vibrant networks, we are able to support each others’ work by bringing organisations together, breaking down silos, building shared values, centring accountability, and supporting cross-movement solidarity.

How does MenEngage Alliance support field-building? 

• We bring members and partners together: MenEngage members convene at national, sub-regional, regional, and global levels for in-person events.
• We convene expert groups on key topics: MenEngage Alliance facilitates 9 global working groups to learn and strategize together on advocacy; communications; accountability; youth leadership; sexual orientation and gender identity; ending gender-based violence; advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) for all; militarised masculinities; and climate justice. Regional MenEngage networks also convene region-specific working groups.
• We host online dialogues: Taking only the global level dialogues, we organise 1 – 2 online events per month on average. (See Events).
• We develop collective values and standards: We bring members together to set standards and values for the network and wider field.
• We build solidarity across movements: Building partnerships with critical feminist, LGBTIQ+, youth, and climate advocacy coalitions is a priority for MenEngage Alliance. We see this as critical to ​‘walking the talk’ on our accountability to feminist and social justice movements, as well as underpinning feminist-informed work with men and boys.
• We engage in joint actions: Joint policy advocacy has been a particular focus for collaboration across MenEngage Alliance networks. More recently, we have engaged in joint communications campaigns to engage men and boys in gender equality, and to promote promising practices, such as through the #HowToTalkWithMen campaign.

How to build a network 

MenEngage Alliance has published a Network-Building Toolkit for organisations and individuals looking to set up network for engaging men and boys in gender equality. Inspired by principles of feminist movement building, it provides step-by-step approaches and guidance on how to organise your network, how to promote democratic decision-making, and how to support new members to join.