CHALIMBANA UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF EDUCATION

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY, SOCIOLOGY AND SPECIAL EDUCATION

STUDENT’S’ NAME : PATRICIA MUTONGWE

STUDENT NUMBER : 2241132374

LECTURER :

COURSE CODE : EDU 4101

YEAR STUDY : 2023

Question:

a) Why gender equality requires men’s and boy’s participation?

b) Describe the gradual consequences of excluding boys or men from gender related stages.

Due date: December residential 2023

Gender equality implies that the interests, needs and priorities of both men and women are taken
into consideration thereby recognizing the diversity of different groups of women and men.
Doss, C. R. (2018). argues that, “Issues about gender equality are placed on the public agenda by
women mainly”. The reason is clear, it is women who are disadvantaged by the main patterns of
gender inequality; therefore it is women who should have a claim for redress. However that
should not be the case because both men and women boys and girls can be victims of gender
inequality. However some scholars have argued that. this logic is so strong that gender issues
have been widely regarded as "women's business" and of no concern to men and boys. This
literature serves to articulate the importance of men’s and boy’s participation in the fight for
gender equality, the literature will further explain the gradual consequences of excluding boys or
men from gender related stages.

Over the past decade the important role that men and boys can play in empowering women and
achieving gender equality in the home, the community, and the workplace has become
increasingly recognized Doss, C. R. (2018). Achieving gender equality is acknowledged as a
societal responsibility that concerns everyone and should fully engage men and boys as well as
women and requires partnerships between women and men. A growing body of research related
to men and gender equality has emerged. Academic journals have been established, research
conferences have been held, and there is a rapidly growing international literature on the topic of
men, masculinities and gender equality. Initial efforts to understand the role of men and boys
and to increase their involvement in promotion of gender equality focused largely on men as
perpetrators of discrimination and inequality. Advocacy and programs emphasized the need for
men to change their attitudes and behaviors in order to improve the situation of women have
been conducted in different fields.

Men and boys are thus, in several ways, gatekeepers for gender equality. Research has
repeatedly shown that patterns of gender inequality are interwoven with social definitions of
masculinity and men's gender identities. To move towards a gender-equal society often requires
men and boys to think and act in new ways, to reconsider traditional images of manhood, and to
reshape their relationships with women and girls.

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Men and boys should get involved in the fight for gender equality because they also suffer from
unfair gender roles and damaging stereotypes and expectations and reproduce harming forms of
masculinity. These, for example, can cause men to repress emotions and vulnerability and to
carry a stigma about mental health issues, which limits their capacity to ask for and receive
support.

The obligation of being dominant, rough, and independent Such constructs also place
expectations on men to be the breadwinners and providers within families, which reinforce social
and psychological pressure, especially in Zambia where men are currently deprived socio-
economic contexts where working opportunities might be limited, and family livelihoods may be
challenging to maintain. The expectation of being the breadwinner may also take a negative toll
on men’s capacity to strike a balance between work and family life, constraining their ability to
enjoy and fully develop parenthood. Rigid and stereotypical gender norms can fuel risky
behaviors resulting in violence, poor health, including preventive health, and lower life
expectancy. Therefore, to avoid all these it’s imperative that men join the fight for gender
equality. Boys should also be taught to challenge for gender equality so that when they finally
become men they should not suffer from these vices.

Man and boys participation in addressing gender inequality is relatively to the balance of the
society. Legislative efforts or evidence-based policies are needed that would encourage men’s
involvement in the primary bringing gender equality. Mans and boys engagement requires multi-
sectoral coordination guided by clear policies and strategies. According to USAID (2015), male
engagement should be part of an ongoing, comprehensive package of policies, programs, and
services addressing underlying causes of inequality with all members of the community. This
should be undertaken in addition to providing critical support for survivors of GBV and gender
inequality.

Furthermore, engaging males in this effort that should begin at an early age before they observe
and/or exhibit violent behavior; Boys’ education on this topic at school age is essential in order
to create a safe environment for girls, while also enabling male students to develop positive
masculinity attitudes that they will be able to carry into their adult lives.

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As mentioned above men and boys are primary perpetrators of gender inequality therefore they
have to begin by exercising their own behavioral change. They should be a voice for, and
actively protect, women, girls and boys in their own families and community’s.

There is also a significant number of men around the word that are victims of gender inequality
as Landers, (2013) argues that, “there are a lot of men suffering from different forms of gender
Inequality”. Hence, when men are present only as a background category in the fight against
gender inequality, for women, it is difficult to raise issues about men's and boys' interests;
therefore it is important that men and boys get involved in this discourse so that they should also
air their own grievances. For gender equality to be achieved men must also be educated on
perspectives, experiences and challenges women face and then engaged as their crucial allies
working hand in hand to transform the world into a place where men and women can thrive
equally. Men in privileged position within diverse social, political and economic fora may use
their influence to echo messages of equality and lead by example among their peers, catalyzing
impact and triggering truly transformative change towards gender equality and making it
everyone’s responsibility.

Men and boys should get involved in the fight for gender equality to safeguard their loved ones
For instance, very large numbers of men are fathers, and about half of their children are girls.
“Some men are sole parents, and are then deeply involved in caregiving”, (Risman 1986) affirms
this in his book (an important demonstration of men's capacity for care). Even in intact
partnerships with women, many men have close relationships with their children, and
psychological research shows the importance of these relationships (Kindler 2002). Many men
make sacrifices for their children, and desire a more active fatherhood. To make sure that
daughters grow up in a world that offers young women security, freedom, and opportunities to
fulfill their talents, is a powerful reason for many men to support gender equality. While
supporting gender based violence male children also learn from their fathers and carries on to
uphold the values of their fathers.

Men and boys may also support gender equality because they see its relevance to the well-being
of the community they live in. In situations of mass poverty and underemployment, for instance
in cities in developing countries, flexibility in the gender division of labor may be crucial to a

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household which requires women's earnings as well as men's. In village communities,
maximizing the total labor resources may be vital to prosperity or even survival. Men may
recognize that they benefit in the long run from the growth in collective wellbeing that flows
from the better education of women, from improvements in women's health,

To add on, Men and boys should fight for gender equality because they are likely to benefit from
broad social and cultural changes associated with gender equality. Less rigidity and stereotyping
of masculinity will increase options for men and is likely to yield benefits in mental health and
psychological well-being. By removing an important source of prejudice and hostility, a move
towards gender equality is likely to improve social inclusion generally.

Breines et al. (2000); It will also yield benefits in security. Civil and international violence is
strongly associated with dominating patterns of masculinity and with marked gender inequality
in the state. Movement towards gender equality makes it more possible for men to adopt
historically "feminine" styles of nonviolent negotiation and conflict resolution, as illustrated by
women's recent role in negotiating to overcome intractable civil conflicts. More moves towards
the achievement of gender equality, and a reduction in violence and in pressures on men, is also
likely to mitigate the social effects of coercive systems of social control, such as prisons. Many
more men than women are currently imprisoned, with damaging consequences. Rates of
imprisonment are especially high among the men of marginalized ethnic groups. Cockburn
2003; Sabo et al. 2001; Zalewski & Parpart 1998).

If large numbers of men are to support and implement gender equality policy, it will be
necessary for that policy to speak, in concrete and positive ways, to their concerns, interests,
hopes and problems.

Furthermore, there is strong evidence that children who are exposed to violence in childhood –
both as witnesses and as victims of abuse themselves are more likely to use violence later in life.
There is also some evidence, although less compelling, that exposure to violence in childhood
increases girls’ risk of becoming victims of violence as they grow up.

Abuse and repeated exposure to violence in childhood can cause chronic stress, which can be
toxic to the developing brain. Without adult support and protection, research has shown that

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toxic stress shapes the architecture of the brain as it develops and can lead to a lifetime of greater
susceptibility to physical illness, as well as mental health problems including depression, anxiety
disorder and substance abuse Landers, (2013).

To add on, Landers, (2013) propounded that, the types of violence and adversity in families
frequently overlap, meaning that by addressing the family environments that put children at risk,
programs can create synergies that also tackle other types of violence Therefore Strengthening
men’s and boy’s participation in the fight against men’s equality is important for challenging
values and norms around the acceptability of violence and gender inequalities or understanding
the nature of risk a particular child faces, and therefore designing appropriate and locally
acceptable mechanisms for preventing gender inequality.

There are gradual consequences of excluding men and boys from gender related stages.. For
example in school it could lead to absconding, bullying and absentsieem among other. (V
NYAANE 2013) supports this in her research called, “the effects of school related gender based
violence on academic performance of pupil), in this research she reported that the pupils at
Chunga Secondary School who were victims of gender inequality faced so many challenges. The
main challenge they faced were the issue of being mocked or bullied by fellow pupils of which
most of them where boys who led to morale decline for school thus leading to absconding from
school the victims and others dropping out of school completely.

The augment is about schools, Schools do not exist in social isolation so if men and boys are
sidelined in the fight against Gender inequality there is an increased risk of school related gender
based violence (SRGBV). SRGBV is often a reflection of the wider social norms or expectations
of behavior modeled by parents and other family members. Some children may be targets of
violence because of characteristics of their families, such as single-parent households, minorities
or having disabled parents. Understanding family make-up and dynamics can contribute to
addressing and reducing children’s risk of facing SRGBV.

To add on, it was reported by Doss, C. R. (2018). that the female sex is also prone to gender
inequality than the male folk. In the case of females who are sexually abused by their teachers, it
is very difficult for the pupil to report the teacher to the school administration because usually
the administration will not believe a pupils word against a teachers word. It is also common for

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the teacher once reported to fail the victim in tests or exams written. This means that if men and
boys are excluded in the fight against gender equality then there is a high chance that school
related gender based violence might increase

Men and boys should be well informed about the effects of gender inequality otherwise they will
fall victim of it. This will lead to failure of participation in the fight against gender equality and
once they don’t fight against it they become exposed and more likely to suffer from it. For men
and boys, pressure to conform to some stereotypes of masculinity can impact physical and
emotional health. Such stereotypes include having to be tough, stoic, dominant and aggressive.
According to James, A. (2011) men are less likely to seek help for at work, gender stereotypes
mean that men may feel less able to call-out outdated ideas or access flexible working policies
and parental leave. In Zambia, men are twice as likely as women to have flexible work requests
denied simply because they are men.

The study has discussed, the importance of men’s and boy’s participation in the fight for gender
equality, the literature will further explain the gradual consequences of excluding boys or men
from gender related stages. It has been discussed that there are also a significant number of men
around the word that are victims of gender inequality therefore it is important for men and boys
to participate in the fight for gender equality because if men are sidelined against this fight they
becomes enforcers of inequality.

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 REFERENCES

Doss, C. R. (2018). Women and agricultural productivity: Reframing the Issues.

Development policy review, Breda: Q print

Kenea. Z. (2015): Policy gap analysis – The case of Gender Based Violence Against
Ethiopian Young Women Migrants to the Middle East Countries. Amman: Amman printing
press

Risman (1986) adjacent villages that was convened to discuss specific gender themes.taif:
commercial printer

USAID (2015): Working with Men and Boys to End Violence Against Women and Girls:
Approaches, Challenges, and Lessons

James, A. (2011). The use and impact of peer support schemes in schools in the UK, and a
comparison with use in Japan and South Korea. Doctoral thesis, Goldsmiths, University of
London

Landers, (2013) Promoting the protection and empowerment of girls by building knowledge
and life skills. New York: International Rescue Committee.