Programming with adolescent boys to promote gender-equitable masculinities: A rigorous review

Gender-inequitable norms of masculinity are widely recognised to sustain the disempowerment of women and girls, underpinning inequalities in gender-based access to economic opportunities and decision-making power, as well as harmful practices such as gender-based violence. Dominant forms of masculinity also undermine boys and men’s wellbeing, with particular harm to their physical and psychosocial health.

A growing number of programmes work with adolescent boys and young men to promote gender-equitable masculinities, largely through face-to-face gender awareness education that seeks to challenge current norms, attitudes and patterns of behaviour and to provide a context in which boys and young men can develop more equitable attitudes.

Suggested citation

Marcus, R. (2018) Programming to promote gender-equitable masculinities among adolescent boys: key findings from a rigorous review. London: Gender and Adolescence: Global Evidence (https://www.gage.odi.org/publication/masculinities-a-rigorous-review/)