Faith-based Approaches to Transforming Masculinities for Gender Justice & Equality: A Two-day Consultation

A report on promising practices and lessons learned from faith-based approaches to engaging men and boys for gender justice.

Faith, religion, and ideas around what it means to be a man, are all deeply interrelated. Working to transform masculinities involves engaging with strongly held beliefs on what it means to ​‘be a man’, based on existing cultural and religious interpretations of social expectations of boys and men.

This report explores these connections and looks at how faith-based approaches can be part of work to transform patriarchal masculinities and engage men and boys for gender justice. It identifies opportunities for working together with faith leaders to advocate for gender justice and women’s rights for all.

This report concludes with a series of practical recommendations, gaps, and future strategic directions. It outlines reasons why those working on ​‘men and masculinities’ approaches to gender justice should incorporate faith-based approaches into their work. It also looks at why faith-based organizations should incorporate a men and masculinities approach into their work.

Who will find this resource useful? 

This report is aimed at anyone looking to explore faith-based approaches to gender justice. In particular, it is ideal for those looking to engage with faith leaders or faith-based approaches to transforming patriarchal ideas about masculinities. It is therefore useful reading for researchers, activists, and practitioners in the field in a variety of settings.

About the authors 

This report is based on a two-day consultation in Washington DC in August 2016. It draws upon the insights and expertise of participants in the consultation, including 22 gender experts and faith leaders from within and outside MenEngage Alliance. The report was prepared by the MenEngage Alliance Global Secretariat.

Photo credit: Gabriel Lamza