This
paper analyzes four studies of the impact of male engagement on women’s financial literacy, financial independence, health, education, economic empowerment and maternal practices. Women are subjected disproportionately to violence and emotional abuse, and they are less likely than men to be literate, work in formal jobs or hold positions in government. The goal of engaging men and boys is to shift social norms to benefit all genders at the individual, relationship, institutional and societal levels.
Male engagement programs may consist of “individual counseling, group work with women, gender assessments, research, policy or political engagement, campaigns, networking, media work, publications, or capacity building activities.” The studies analyzed in this paper found that men often did not engage in programs seeking to assist women because they did not feel welcome to do so, sometimes because they had not been explicitly invited by their partners or program organizers. However, the authors of this paper found that male engagement often results in significant increases in the success of programs that seek to improve women’s lives in areas such as health and economic empowerment. These increases are greater when male engagement in programs: (1) begins when men are younger; (2) involves discussions of gender imbalance; (3) debunks harmful gender norms; (4) shows how all genders stand to gain from female empowerment; (5) acknowledges institutionalized gender biases; (6) promotes women in becoming policymakers; and (7) uses grassroots techniques for engaging community members. Meanwhile, programs should avoid: portraying men as “women’s saviours” or indicating that women must have the approval of the men in their lives in order to become more empowered.
The authors also emphasize the importance of women’s bargaining power in matters of household spending. Women rarely are consulted about how household income is allocated. However, when men consult with women on these decisions, the entire family tends to experience improved educational and health outcomes, especially female children.
While male engagement can have a positive impact on women’s empowerment, equality and economic status, it is crucial to achieve a balance within the programs, so that the engagement of men does not overshadow the voices of women. To avoid this pitfall, the authors concluded that men need to be invited to participate in women’s empowerment initiatives, but only to the extent that each woman agrees to include her partner. Additionally, men and women should explore social norms both together and in same-sex spaces so they may explore topics more freely.
This is a summary of a paper by Emily Aleson, Shannon Barham, Rachel Ricks, Charisse Schenk, Emma Sheranian and Mary Taylor; published by the Grameen Foundation; June 2021; 30 pages; available at https://grameenfoundation.org/documents/Male-Engagement-Evidence-Review.pdf.
By Sophie Fiala, Research Associate
Sources and Additional Resources
Grameen Foundation homepage
https://grameenfoundation.org/
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