International Women’s Day 2021

We take this time to join, amplify, and celebrate voices that call for radical social, political, and economic transformations. We add our voices to those seeking equality and human rights of all women and girls – and social justice for all.

We must challenge unequal power relationships and dismantle patriarchy by transforming patriarchal masculinies and working with men and boys through intersectional feminist approaches. We do this as allies to all women, girls and people of diverse gender identities.

Some of the spaces we are supporting urgently-needed change are the Generation Equality Forum (GEF), and the 65th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women. Meanwhile, the MenEngage Ubuntu Symposium, taking place until June 2021, continues to be a critical space to collectively listen, learn, share, striving to add value to broader feminist discussions, movements, and actions.

As a global social change network, we reaffirm our commitments to working to dismantle unequal power relationships and transform patriarchal masculinities. We do so in solidarity with those calling for feminist systems change.

Recent years have seen a surge of intersectional and transformative feminist and social justice mobilizations around the world, including youth movement for climate justice and racial justice. But progress in gender equality and other justice issues is being met with a myriad of challenges and backlash, at national, regional and global levels.

We believe this makes work to engage men and boys to transform patriarchal masculinities all the more relevant and urgent. As ever, these efforts must add value to women’s rights and feminist-led movements for gender equality and social justice.

We will continue to create meaningful approaches, partnerships, and actions among those working to transform masculinities and work with men and boys in gender equality to broaden and amplify feminist narratives and vision based on human rights, equity, and justice.