1. Introduction
1. Gender-based violence against
women and girls finds its origin in deeply rooted gender inequality.
It is a human rights issue, not a women’s rights issue. Addressing
this violence collectively has become all the more urgent as gender-based
violence has increased because of the Covid-19 pandemic, and the
number of survivors of gender-based violence is generally underestimated.
2. The European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) has estimated
that the cost of gender-based violence was €366 billion a year across
the European Union.
It
would be timely to have an updated estimation of this cost for society
in all Council of Europe member States.
3. Most perpetrators of gender-based violence are men but not
all men are perpetrators. Throughout the world, however, there are
men who think they can beat, stalk, rape, exploit, and mentally
and physically abuse women. Margaret Atwood has stated that “Men
are afraid that women will laugh at them. Women are afraid that men
will kill them”. Patriarchy, as it gives power and privilege to
men and creates profound gender inequalities, can be seen as a root
cause of this violence. Tolerance for this violence and society’s
lack of mobilisation allow perpetrators to continue. In her book
The Will to Change: Men, Masculinity and Love (2004),
bell hooks stressed that “To end male pain, to respond effectively
to male crisis, we have to name the problem. We have to both acknowledge
that the problem is patriarchy and work to end patriarchy. (…) If
men are to reclaim the essential goodness of male being, if they
are to regain the space of openheartedness and emotional expressiveness
that is the foundation of well-being, we must envision alternatives
to patriarchal masculinity. We must all change.”
4. It is important to investigate the underlying reasoning or
explanations by these men for their abusive attitude towards women.
It is high time for the Parliamentary Assembly to address the role
and responsibility of men and boys in stopping gender-based violence
and make concrete proposals to encourage them to join this fight.
Engaging men to combat violence sends a powerful message. It is
coherent, inclusive, and ensures more efficient prevention, protection
and policies.
5. Men also become victims through men-to-men violence. In this
report, I have decided to focus on violence of men against women.
I also would like to emphasise that this is not an anti-male report
as I strongly believe that many men are willing to change and become
allies in ending violence against women.
6. In its
Resolution
2027 (2014) “Focusing on the perpetrators to prevent violence against
women”, the Assembly called on NGOs active in the fight against
gender-based violence to “stress the importance of the role of men
in combating violence against women and domestic violence and to
encourage their participation in awareness-raising activities”.
I believe it is now time to go a step further and urge men and boys
to take responsibility and participate in changing mindsets and
behaviours.
7. The Assembly has relentlessly called for the ratification
and implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing
and combating violence against women and domestic violence (CETS
No. 210, “Istanbul Convention”). A report prepared by Zita Gurmai
entitled “The Istanbul Convention: progress and challenges”, will
be debated in January 2023.
Article
12.4 of this Convention states that all members of society, especially
men and boys, should be encouraged to contribute actively to preventing
violence. The text emphasises the importance of combating stereotypical
images of men and women and the need for a cultural change so that
there is no room for violence against women in our society.
8. In its Resolution A/HRC/RES/35/10 entitled “Accelerating efforts
to eliminate violence against women: engaging men and boys in preventing
and responding to violence against all women and girls”,
the United Nations
Human Rights Council called on States to take action to prevent
violence against women by fully engaging men and boys. It called
on them to address the causes of gender inequality and highlighted
that “men and boys, by taking responsibility themselves and working
jointly in partnership with women and girls at all levels, are essential
to efforts to prevent and eliminate all forms of discrimination
and violence against women and girls”. At its 38th session
in June 2018, the Human Rights Council also considered a report
on promising practices and lessons learned, existing strategies
and UN and other initiatives to engage men and boys in promoting
and achieving gender equality, in the context of eliminating violence
against women.
9. Men can be agents of change in multiple ways. They can speak
up, be role models and challenge sexism. They can work on preventing
and combating “harmful masculinities”. Men are the best placed to
call on other men to be active in the fight against gender-based
violence, and to set an example for future generations.
They
have a fundamental role to play in educating their sons on healthy
masculinity and respectful attitudes towards the women in their
immediate surroundings and beyond. According to Abhijit Das, former
co-Chair of the MenEngage Alliance, positive masculinity can be
promoted by “encouraging men who do not agree with harmful practices
and attitudes to speak out”.
Movements
such as #heforshe and international organisations such as Promundo
and MenEngage show how to engage men and boys through the conviction
that we can achieve gender equality only by involving all genders.
2. Scope of the report
10. In my capacity as rapporteur
on the gender dimension of foreign policy,
I carried out a fact-finding visit in
October 2019, during which I met a variety of interlocutors to discuss
the Swedish feminist foreign policy. During this visit, I had the
opportunity to meet with researchers who had worked on the concept
and the norms of masculinity. Erik Melander, Professor at Uppsala
University, presented research work on the masculine honour ideology,
which may explain, but not justify, some behaviours or decisions.
Elin Bjarnegård, Associate Professor at Uppsala University stressed
that having male allies was crucial for the success of the feminist foreign
policy. When reporting back to the committee, I recommended we work
both on masculinity and on the role of men to combat gender-based
violence. Three years later, I see that these concepts have emerged
more in the public debate and I am grateful for having had the opportunity
to work in depth on them for this report.
11. The motion for a resolution at the origin of this report stresses
that the Assembly should examine the different national approaches
to engaging men and boys in promoting gender equality and women’s
rights, in order to prevent all forms of violence. I have tried
to identify and promote inspiring initiatives and good practices on
this topic, with special attention to parliamentary initiatives.
I have looked into awareness-raising campaigns, such as the “Don’t
be that guy campaign”
by Police Scotland. This campaign
calls on men to hold each other to account and prevent abuse. It
presents concrete situations and what men can do.
12. The motion also calls on male parliamentarians to set an example.
Men in leadership positions, including in politics, sports, culture,
media and the police, have a responsibility to speak out.
This has led me to organise bilateral
meetings with the leaders of political groups in the Assembly and
with male chairpersons of committees.
13. With this report, I have also tried to emphasise the importance
of the bystander approach, which is the role played by witnesses
in challenging reprehensible behaviour.
14. I have discussed with various interlocutors on overcoming
the barriers of men’s resistance to be engaged on this topic. How
can we make preventing gender-based violence matter to men? The
objective of this report is to contribute to raising awareness of
the fact that men and boys have a responsibility to fight against
gender-based violence and promote concrete tools to encourage their
engagement on this issue.
15. After a sexual misconduct scandal involving jury members and
a band member of the Voice of Holland programme, there was a week-long
debate in the Netherlands on the responsibility of employers and companies
in the entertainment industry and beyond to provide for a safe working
environment.
In this debate, there was a strong
interest from men to contribute actively to preventing and combating
gender-based violence.
16. In addition to desk research, I have conducted virtual bilateral
meetings with experts. On 14 February 2022, I held virtual bilateral
meetings with Johanna Nelles, Executive Secretary to the Group of
Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence
(GREVIO) and Clara Alemann working for the organisation Promundo.
In addition, I held on the same day consultations with Ilse Wermink
(PAX), Dean Peacock (MenEngage/Promundo), Anthony Keedi, ABAAD (via
PAX), Katinka Moonen (Oxfam Novib), Coba Hordijk (Emancipator),
Shirodj Raghoenath (Emancipator), Quirine Lengkeek (CHOICE), Sabine
Herbrink (NIMD), Marlene van Benthem (Soroptomist International),
Lisa de Pagter (Rutgers), Anne-Floor Dekker, Anika Snel and Nadia
van der Linde (WO=MEN) and Jan Reynders (MenEngage). I also held
a bilateral meeting with Jens van Tricht who is the director of
Emancipator and MenEngage global board member.
17. The Committee held a joint hearing with the Parliamentary
Network Women Free from Violence on 12 April 2022 with the participation
of Giovanna Lauro, PhD, Vice President of Programs & Research, Promundo-US,
Teresa Schweiger, Austrian member and Co-Coordinator of MenEngage
Europe – A Regional Network within the Global Alliance MenEngage,
Ivan Jablonka, Professor of History at University Sorbonne Paris
Nord, member of the University Institute of France, and Chris Green,
founder of White Ribbon UK.
18. I met with Dr Erik Melander on 23 May 2022 to discuss his
work on masculinities. On 10 June 2022, I held an online bilateral
meeting with UN Women representatives: Khamsavath Chanthavysouk,
Policy Specialist on EVAW Knowledge Management and Prevention (based
in New York); Yolanda Iriarte, UN Women Regional Office for Europe
and Central Asia in Istanbul; and Edward Wageni, who works for the programme
HeforShe in New York. They shared with me key UN recommendations
on this topic. On the same day, I held a virtual meeting with Cécile
Gréboval, Senior Gender Equality Adviser within the Gender Equality Division,
Directorate General of Democracy and Human Dignity of the Council
of Europe. On 30 June 2022, I met with Tryggvi Hallgrímsson, seconded
by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iceland as Policy Advisor
to the same Division. On the same day, I also held a meeting with
Carlien Scheele, EIGE Director, and Agata Szypulska, Seconded National
Expert at EIGE on gender-based violence.
19. On 16 September 2022, the committee held an exchange of views
with the participation of Maxime Ruszniewski, CEO of Remixt, to
discuss concrete ways of engaging men in the fight for gender equality
and against gender-based violence. On 29 and 30 September 2022,
I carried out an inspiring fact-finding visit to Madrid, during
which I had the opportunity to discuss national awareness-raising
campaigns to promote mindful masculinities, the engagement of civil
society to promote the role of men and boys in combating gender-based violence
and commitment at the highest political level to the fight against
gender-based violence.
20. On 14, 16, 17 and 21 November 2022, I held virtual bilateral
meetings with several male members of the Assembly who are chairpersons
of political groups or committees, or who are active in the Committee
on Equality and Non-Discrimination: Mr Iulian Bulai (Romania, ALDE),
Mr Titus Corlăţean (Romania, SOC), Mr Damien Cottier (Switzerland,
ALDE), Mr Even Eriksen (Norway, SOC), Mr George Katrougalos (Greece, UEL),
Mr Momodou Malcolm Jallow (Sweden, UEL), Mr Christophe Lacroix (Belgium,
SOC), Mr Aleksander Pociej (Poland, EPP/CD), Mr Theodoros Rousopolos
(Greece, EPP/CD) and Mr Frank Schwabe (Germany, SOC). I also held
a virtual meeting with Mr Tiny Kox, President of the Assembly on
21 November 2022. I would like to thank them for taking the time
to discuss the role and responsibility of male members of parliament
to prevent and combat gender-based violence.
3. Recognition
of the importance of the role and responsibility of men and boys
21. The importance of the role
of men and boys in stopping gender-based violence against women
and girls has been recognised in Europe and beyond, in particular
by the United Nations. During the drafting process of the Istanbul
Convention, there was strong consensus about the need to assign
an active role to men and boys in preventing and combating violence
against women and domestic violence, and its Article 12.4 consecrates this
role. They can be positive role models, act as agents of change
and use their influence among peers.
22. As perpetrators of violence, they can also change their behaviour
and thereby bring forward change. Article 16 of the Istanbul Convention
stresses the importance of programmes for perpetrators of violence,
which can help them to understand and realise the need to alter
their attitudes.
23. During our meeting, Johanna Nelles indicated that GREVIO received
information about campaigns on the role of men, awareness-raising
activities and programmes during its country visits or beforehand.
However, the information received on programmes related to the promotion
of men’s involvement in preventing and combating violence against
women remains limited.
24. The Istanbul Convention is being challenged in several countries,
which often criticise the fact that it highlights gender inequality
as a root cause of violence. Recognising this is a first step towards
effective action against gender-based violence. However, we need
to be aware that recognising men’s role in preventing and combating
gender-based violence seems difficult in places where gender inequality
is not denounced nor seen as an important problem, and where anti-gender
movements are very active.
25. Anti-gender narratives might lead to violence by supporters
of this narrative. The behaviour of involuntary celibates (‘incels’),
who promote violence against women, should also be analysed.
26. Men who engage with the protection of women’s rights and in
the fight against gender-based violence can also be criticised as
“not legitimate” spokespersons since they are not women. In my view,
all genders can join forces and the role of men is essential to
prevent and combat gender-based violence.
27. During the bilateral meetings held with male members of the
Assembly, they all supported the provisions of the Istanbul Convention
and recognised the responsibility of men and boys in the fight against
gender-based violence against women and girls. We also discussed
the positive impact parliamentarians can have by speaking up against
violence and creating a context where gender equality would be further
promoted and gender-based violence would no longer be tolerated.
Some of them did express their willingness not to take space from
women and recognised that their participation in debates on combating
gender-based violence and promoting gender equality was too low.
One colleague shared his feeling of discomfort when talking about combating
gender-based violence. Almost all mentioned the importance of higher
participation of women in politics at local and national levels.
Gender equality should be further mainstreamed in the work of the Assembly
and within political parties.
28. They also supported the #notinmyparliament initiative launched
by former Assembly President Liliane Maury-Pasquier, and expressed
a willingness to go beyond statements on preventing and combating
gender-based violence with concrete actions. Sharing care responsibilities
at home and publicly talking about it, as well as inclusive policy
making on preventing and combating gender-based violence were other
topics discussed. Gender equality education was presented as a priority
by most members interviewed, in order to have both men and women
engaged in the fight against gender-based violence. We also talked
about masculinities, injunctions on men, the fight against gender-based
discrimination, intersectionality
and
the important contribution politicians could have in the deconstruction
of gender stereotypes. One member highlighted the fact that male
parliamentarians could be the ambassadors of positive masculinity.
29. The Council of Europe Gender Equality Commission was mandated
by the Committee of Ministers to draw up guidelines on the place
of men and boys in gender equality policies and in policies to combat
violence against women by the end of 2022. It adopted the draft
guidelines at its 22nd meeting on 18
November 2022. Involving men in the promotion of gender equality
is a first step to their active involvement in preventing and combating
gender-based violence.
30. In March 2022, the Commission on the Status of Women of the
United Nations Economic and Social Council, in its agreed conclusions,
recognised “the importance of the full engagement of men and boys
as agents and beneficiaries of change, and as strategic partners
and allies in the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment
of all women and girls in the context of climate change, environmental
and disaster risk reduction policies and programmes in order to
combat and eliminate the gender stereotypes, sexism and negative
social norms that fuel discrimination and all forms of violence,
including sexual and gender-based violence, and undermine gender
equality, while noting the ongoing need to educate children from
a young age regarding the importance of gender equality, human rights,
treating all people with dignity and respect and promoting a culture
of peace, non-violent behaviour and respectful relationships”.
31. In the Netherlands, the government created the position of
government commissioner for combating inappropriate behaviour and
sexual violence. Ms Mariëtte Hamer was appointed to this position
and I have been informed that she will look into the role of men
and boys in stopping gender-based violence.
4. Addressing
harmful masculinities and promoting mindful masculinities
32. I would like to stress that
this report does not aim to present men as a homogenous group –
we need to understand men in all their diversity. As a consequence,
actions to promote the role of men and boys in preventing and combating
violence against women should take into account their differences.
During our meeting, Dean Peacock highlighted that mental health,
trauma, economic stress, violence as a child and alcohol could intersect
with masculinity to explain violence. He advised focusing on men
in positions of political power and the need to keep them accountable
whenever they took action to undermine gender equality, as he did
with his organisation in South Africa.
33. In its General Recommendation No. 35, the UN Committee on
the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women recognised
“gender-based violence against women as being rooted in gender-related
factors, such as the ideology of men’s entitlement and privilege
over women, social norms regarding masculinity, and the need to
assert male control or power, enforce gender roles or prevent, discourage
or punish what is considered to be unacceptable female behaviour”.
Strategies
to prevent and combat gender-based violence need to tackle those
root causes. They should take into account the fact that root causes
can be multiple and therefore need to be tackled with various measures.
34. Professor Erik Melander described harmful masculinities as
the result of “patriarchal values” combined with “masculine toughness”
(a kind of honour ideology, leading to think that men must show
strength but not show weakness or emotions). These two elements
form what is called “masculine honour ideology”. So-called honour
thinking makes one believe that a certain behaviour is acceptable
for men but not for women. Understanding that men can experience
violence through expected cultural behaviours is also important.
35. Getting men involved is a first challenge, which can often
be overcome by speaking about the risk of violence faced by the
women in their lives, such as sisters, mothers and daughters. The
pyramid of violence shows how seemingly innocent jokes might lead
to stalking, rape or femicide. “This pyramid represents a continuum
of abuse, highlighting the ways in which common attitudes and beliefs
uphold and form the basis for more extreme acts of violence.”
Men can play a more active role in the
fight against gender-based violence only if they stop letting it
happen and reject harmful masculinity. Another way to start the
conversation with men is to highlight a quality of life perspective.
Women and men can all benefit from more gender equality.
36. Men should be addressed directly in order to ensure their
participation in programmes. Jan Reynders indicated during our meeting
that 99% of men who did not speak up against violence were afraid
of not “fitting in” to society and being seen as losers. The way
other men (or women) looked at them, living up to the so-called
traditional concept of masculinity, had an impact on men’s behaviours.
According to Jens von Tricht, patriarchal structures lead to the
dehumanisation of men, who are told they should not be kind, feel
or show insecurity or express their feelings. “There is an enormous
fragility around masculinity, which can lead to toxic behaviours.
Encouraging men to participate in the fight against gender-based
violence also contributes to their emancipation”. Our work goes
beyond promoting the role of men and boys in stopping gender-based
violence, with the intention to also raise awareness about the diversity
of masculinities.
37. The United Nations Human Rights Council called upon States
to prevent violence against women and girls by “engaging, educating,
encouraging and supporting men and boys to be positive role models
for gender equality and to promote respectful relationships, (…)
to take responsibility and be held accountable for behaviour, including
behaviour that perpetuates gender stereotypes, including misconceptions
about masculinities that underlie discrimination and violence against
women and girls, to increase their understanding of the harmful
effects of violence for the victim/survivor and society as a whole,
and to ensure that men and boys take responsibility for their sexual
and reproductive behaviour”.
When we talk
about the role of men and boys in stopping gender-based violence,
I believe we should also talk about their responsibility to do so,
towards women and girls, and towards society in general. Changing
behaviours and making healthy masculinities a reality rests largely
on the shoulders of men. However, women can also perpetuate the
negative consequences of harmful masculinities in the way they bring
up their children, interact with the men and boys in their intimate
circles and how they react to other women standing up for their
rights.
38. Most persons I have spoken to highlighted the importance of
investing in gender equality education from an early age. This means
investing in the training of teachers on gender equality, ensuring
each pupil has regular opportunities to discuss gender equality
in the classroom, several times a year and not only once. Clara Alemann
(Promundo) advocated for guarantees that systematic work be undertaken
with young boys on this theme. She also stated that the promotion
of healthy masculinities contributed to a reduction of violence.
It is crucial to work with men and boys from the moment they are
shaping their role as young boys, teenagers or first-time fathers.
A change of culture is needed and one-off actions will not be enough.
Transforming social norms about what healthy masculinity entails
is essential.
39. There are different ways to make change happen. I was very
interested in one activity carried out by the NGO Emancipator. A
training week-end aimed at men is organised every year. 20 participants
from diverse groups sit together, discuss and start deconstructing
masculinity together, at a personal level. Participants feel there
is a safe space to share questions and doubts. The emancipation
of men does much to support the emancipation of women. This NGO
wished it could organise more trainings of this kind, but its budget
is limited.
40. Discussing gender equality means discussing what the notion
of spatial occupation means for both women and men, about who is
“taking space” and how it can be shared. Men are almost never told
that they are taking space from women while women are told so very
often. This raises the question of how the division of space is
made and what kind of space sharing is expected. One can also wonder
why women are often sent to do training on how to speak up while
men are hardly ever trained to listen better.
41. UN Women is working on transforming patriarchal masculinities,
which emphasise the power of men over women and aim at maintaining
gender inequalities and hierarchies. During our meeting, the representatives
indicated that patriarchal masculinities were expressed individually
in attitudes and behaviours, institutionally in policies and practices
and ideologically in social norms and cultural narratives. Transforming
patriarchal masculinities goes beyond simply engaging men and boys
in the promotion of gender equality. UN Women therefore recommends
changing the narrative. Challenging patriarchal masculinities is now
considered a priority with the rise of political leaders opposed
to gender equality in several countries. UN Women recommendations
include mobilising men to challenge and transform patriarchal practices
and cultures of institutions, use an intersectional approach and
recognise diverse masculinities, acknowledge the centrality of women’s
rights organisations in social change for gender equality, and to
highlight men’s accountability as leaders in social, economic, cultural
and political life. UN Women also recommends reacting to anti-gender
movements, countering misogyny in politics and resisting backlash.
42. During our meeting, we also discussed the importance of working
with everyone whose social norms might support patriarchal masculinities.
Mothers, for instance, may promote this kind of masculinity by teaching “boys
to be boys”. According to Khamsavath Chanthavysouk, there is evidence
that certain norms are harmful. The whole society can be an instrument
of masculinity. Edward Wageni stressed that men also had an interest in
transforming patriarchal masculinities as not all men enjoyed the
so-called privileges of being a man. I would like to add that family
connections, good education and high level of income can make some
men more privileged than others. Yolanda Iriarte spoke of the importance
of investing in transformative parenthood. Having more men assuming
their parental responsibilities also means a different distribution
of power.
43. French philosopher Ivan Jablonka, who reflects on the role
and representation of men in society, participated in a hearing
with the committee on 12 April 2022. According to him, gender inequality
is deeply rooted in our societies and gender privileges are endemic.
He invites everyone to reconsider traditional roles and expectations.
Education gives a gender privilege to men in societies, and this
has been internalised in our cultures. He also underlines that men
have been at the forefront of every battle except for gender equality.
In his view, “new solidarities” means refusing male complicity such
as misogynist jokes in the locker room and instead taking sides
for women’s rights. He considers that a “gender new deal” could
lead to an equal division of powers and responsibilities.
44. He also stressed the responsibility of men to change and escape
from their “gender prison”. Men could accept their vulnerability
and insecurity. He suggested the concept of “counter-masculinity”,
an examination of conscience and a reflection about the upbringing
received. In his book Des hommes justes (2019),
he calls for an evolution from patriarchy to new masculinities,
with gender justice as the new project for society. Ivan Jablonka
believes that men should take on the responsibility of taking part
in the social shift since the #MeToo movement broke out.
45. Teresa Schweiger presented the work of MenEngage Europe to
the Committee. In her view, men and boys have to become aware of
male privileges and structural power relations. A typical gender
stereotype for boys is to be sexist in order to be a boy. She is
convinced that changing sexist attitudes could lead to a system change.
She also presented the so-called “man box” which included stereotypical
labels and requests such as “be a real man” or “boys don’t cry”.
46. Giovanna Lauro underlined that a feminist-centred perspective
should be used to engage men and boys in the prevention of gender-based
violence. The voices of men already embodying a non-violent, caring, nurturing
way of living should be amplified. Often, work with men and boys
targeted the most underprivileged groups and rarely the men in positions
of power, although both were essential. She presented the International Men
and Gender Equality Survey. Its results showed that men who had
witnessed violence against their own mothers when they were children
were 2.5 times more likely to perpetrate intimate partner violence
on becoming adults. Investing in prevention was therefore crucial.
Promundo had launched the “Global Boyhood Initiative” to work with
boys, starting as early as four years old, and with their caregivers,
parents, teachers, and coaches, and change the ways in which they
were raised. It also created the “MenCare” campaign, now active in
fifty countries, with a view to promoting a more equitable approach
to caregiving.
47. Chris Green, who created the White Ribbon campaign, regretted
that the engagement of men and boys was not yet high on the political
agenda. He considers that incentives and recognition could encourage
men to be active in this field. Social education can lead to societal
change.
48. In her book
For the Love of Men:
A New Vision for Mindful Masculinity (2019), Liz Plank
describes traditional masculinity as a barrier to gender equality.
She underlines the importance of the notion of “mindful masculinity”
for men to be active in the promotion of gender equality. She intends
to look for solutions rather than presenting a problem. She calls
on men to redefine masculinity. In the weekly podcast “Man enough”, together
with actor and director Justin Baldoni and music producer Jamey
Heath, she discusses “what does it mean to be a man today? More
importantly what does it mean to be human”.
5. Case
study: Iceland
49. I have looked more specifically
at the situation in Iceland,
known
to have a high score on the gender equality index for more than
a decade. Women have reached the highest levels as decision makers
and power appears to be equally shared in Iceland. This could be
an indicator that men are willing to play a more active role in
the promotion of gender equality. However, while rating highly with
regard to gender equality, Iceland also has high rates of domestic
violence and sexual abuse.
In its report on Iceland, GREVIO
indicates there has been a steady increase in reporting. In 2021,
the police registered around 1 000 reports of domestic violence.
50. Iceland adopted a roadmap for ending gender-based violence
for the period 2021-2026, including 23 commitments. It includes
actions aimed at eradicating gender-based violence both in the country
and projects at international level. There is a clear emphasis at
increasing the participation of men and boys in activities promoting
gender equality. Iceland plans to engage men and boys actively to
become agents of change and co-operates with the United Nations
to this end. In 2022-2023, Iceland committed to support UN Women
in its work on masculinities and engaging men and boys. It made
a commitment to allocate 1 million US$ to “enhance work on prevention
and response to gender-based violence through engaging men and boys and
transforming harmful masculinities”.
51. Iceland also actively promotes at international level the
involvement of men in campaigns to promote gender equality and prevent
and combat gender-based violence. The country is co-leading an action
coalition on gender-based violence in the framework of the Generation
Equality Forum.
52. During the 65th session of the UN Commission on the Status
of Women (March 2021), former Icelandic Minister for Foreign Affairs,
Gudlaugur Thor Thordarson, stressed that engaging men and increasing awareness
was a key contributor in making inclusive decision-making processes
and equal opportunities the new normal.
He
mentioned the utmost importance of involving male decision makers
in this dialogue.
53. A concrete commitment by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is
to hold annual barbershop conferences with international organisations
and other partners. These events encourage men and boys to become
actively engaged in promoting gender equality. The Ministry indicates
that “the Barbershop concept looks at innovative ways for men to
mobilise and motivate other men to address discriminatory stereotypes
of masculinity. It identifies ways for men to talk about gender
equality in comfortable and safe environment, and addresses how male
leaders can drive this dialogue forward”.
According
to Gudlaugur Thor Thordarson, “Barbershops are known to be a safe
place for men to speak freely and be more open about what is on
their mind, much like the locker room. Let's bring the discussion
here, let's talk amongst ourselves about what we can bring to the
table, how we can play an integral part in the movement of change,
be champions of HeForShe".
Iceland
played an important role in creating a Barbershop Toolbox for the
HeForShe campaign. It is nevertheless also important to be aware
that there might be risks with this kind of initiatives.
54. The first Barbershop conference was held in the New York Headquarters
of the UN in January 2015 and was hosted by the Governments of Iceland
and Suriname. Women’s rights campaigners criticised the concept, with
the argument that an event to discuss women’s rights that was solely
aimed at men and attended by men would do little to change the status
quo.
55. Since 2015, Iceland participated or co-organised numerous
Barbershop conferences, in Reykjavík (May 2017),
Paris (OECD Barbershop Conference
on Engaging Men for Gender Equality, October 2018)
or Copenhagen (Womenomics Nordic
Business Conference, May 2019)
. Barbershop events are considered eye
opening sessions but do not necessarily lead to long-term work.
56. There can also be ways to engage men on social media. Þorsteinn
V. Einarsson started a social media campaign (on Twitter, Instagram
, or with podcasts
) under the title “Karlmennskan”
(literally, “Masculinity”), encouraging men to talk about their
vulnerability and women to share stories of mansplaining and misogyny. Mr Einarsson
is now a highly sought-after lecturer in schools, universities and
workplaces in Iceland. He had the idea of the campaign after conversing
with Sóley Tómasdóttir, an Icelandic feminist gender and diversity advocate.
The campaign’s goal is for men to share how the traditional conception
of masculinity harmed them or those around them, by using the hashtag
#karlmennskan and telling their stories. One objective of the campaign
is to normalise men and boys expressing their feelings and emotions.
6. Case
study: Spain
57. I went on a fact-finding mission
to Madrid on 29-30 September 2022, where I had the opportunity to
meet with Irene Montero, Minister for Equality, members of the Equality
Committee at the Congress of Deputies and representatives of the
government delegation against gender-based violence, of the Institute
of Women, of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and of NGOs. It was
an inspiring visit, during which we held exchanges on the Spanish
strategy to prevent and combat gender-based violence, a priority
for the Spanish Government.
58. The organic law of 2004 on combating gender-based violence
takes a comprehensive approach, with a series of preventive measures
(education, awareness-raising, health), assistance services, the
establishment of specialised courts for cases of violence against
women and a specialised service in the Prosecutor’s office. This
law focused on gender-based violence between intimate partners.
Following the ratification of the Istanbul Convention, legislation
was extended to cover all forms of violence included in the convention.
Regions in Spain have their own laws on gender-based violence and
some of them had aligned their legislation with the Istanbul Convention
before it was done at national level. A State pact against gender-based
violence was adopted in 2017 and provides an important level of
funding for related programmes. A 24/7 freephone number (016) providing
assistance has been available since 2017. This number was called
more than one million times during 2021. A new strategy is currently
being developed and will include the theme of new masculinities.
I wish to stress that important changes came from tremendous social
pressure among others after the “wolf pack” case.
In 2016, five young men raped a young woman.
They bragged about it after on WhatsApp and shared pictures and
videos. They were sentenced to 9 years to jail for sexual abuse,
but not for rape, which sparked protests throughout Spain. At the
time, the qualification of rape was only used if there had been
violence. In 2022, Spain passed a law on sexual consent clearly
indicating that only yes means yes. In November 2022, it became
clear that this new law is being used by judges to lower the sentence
of convicted perpetrators.
59. The idea that men and boys should be involved was taken up
by the authorities recently. The Ministry for Equality actively
promotes the co-responsibility of women and men as carers. A video
“el hombre blandengue” (soft man) shows Spanish men taking care
of their children and being engaged for gender equality. Minister
Montero stressed during our meeting that sharing the responsibility
for the provision of care will contribute immensely to promoting
gender equality and combating gender-based violence. She also underlined
that a feminist society free from violence, where care and wealth
are equally distributed, would be better for everyone. She mentioned
that more men wanted to live their masculinity in a different way
and take care of children and dependants. We also discussed the
importance of the provision of sex education for teenagers as a
way to promote healthy relationships and prevent violence. Combating
the denial of gender-based violence by anti-gender movements was
highlighted as another priority.
60. Two parliamentarians members of the Equality Committee spoke
about the importance of preventing violence against children and
the need to extend data on gender-based violence to family courts
dealing with divorce and guardianship. Representatives of the Government
Delegation against gender-based violence stressed that training
on preventing and combating gender-based violence to security forces
and law-enforcement was a priority.
61. The municipality of Madrid has created “equality spaces” for
discussion and training in its districts. Despite these encouragements,
the director of the centre we visited regretted that the commitment
of men to preventing and combating gender-based violence still remained
quite passive in general. Dedicating a lot of attention to publicising
events was essential to encourage men to participate.
62. In my view, the Spanish experience could be a source of inspiration
for other countries. In Spain, some men have publicly spoken out
about not wanting to be a stereotypical man, to be presented as
macho and categorised as such. They claim the diversity of masculinities
and talk openly about men’s participation in care, for instance.
Since 2006, men who are feminist and engaged in the fight against
gender-based violence hold annual demonstrations in different Spanish
cities on 21 October.
63. In Spain and in some other countries, there is a controversy
in the feminist movement about the allocation of resources for programmes
addressing men’s role in the fight against gender-based violence. Resources
allocated to women’s rights organisations should not be reduced,
but additional funding should be foreseen.
64. Most interlocutors spoke about the need to break the “gentlemen’s
agreement” about gender-based violence. As per this agreement, men
do not contradict or react when other men are making sexist comments or
are violent. My interlocutors called on men to react to stop the
violence rather than remaining passive bystanders (“silence makes
us co-responsible”). The association AHIGE was created to provide
discussion spaces for men.
65. During our meeting, Miguel Lazaro, representing Masculinidades
Bêta, underlined that there had been important changes in past years
as women now no longer accepted certain types of behaviour from
men. He stressed that all men should be outspoken against gender-based
violence and take a stance in favour of equality policies. Some
men might see themselves as victims and do not want to give up the
privileges they have as men. Bystanders are not innocent if they
do nothing about the violence. Politicians have an additional responsibility
to speak against gender-based violence.
66. Interlocutors underlined the importance of creating specific
public policies and programmes directed at men. Men should be involved
in designing programmes directed at men.
Mr Lazaro
also referred to the “man box” which is an important tool to show
to men how they are stuck in the prison of stereotypes.
Another important element is the
language used to talk about gender-based violence. Passive language
is often used to stress that women have been victims of gender-based
violence. One could work actively on involving men as allies through
new language on masculinities, and highlight that men are responsible
for preventing and stopping gender-based violence.
7. Recommended
actions to address the responsibility of men in preventing and stopping
gender-based violence against women and girls
67. Men should become more aware
that they are part of the solution as well as being part of the
problem. As fathers, brothers, family members, practitioners, law
makers or teachers, to name a few, all men, in their diversity,
hold a responsibility to prevent and combat gender-based violence
against women and girls. They can act at home, in the street, at
school, university, in public transport or in a parliament. For
too long, the fight against gender-based violence was led mainly
by women, and an inclusive approach could be beneficial to all. I
am of the opinion that the feminist discourse will be stronger with
the participation of men and women in all their diversity.
68. We need to look at the construction of masculinity and boyhood
and to all the injunctions imposed on men and boys. Sharing emotions,
as an example, is neither masculine nor feminine but a human feeling.
Men and women can both be in a “gender prison” and it is time to
deconstruct gender-based stereotypes and let people be who they
are. Men are not a homogeneous group and the different power situations
should also be taken into account.
69. Working on gender equality education from a young age and
throughout school years should be a priority. Education is one of
the keys to long-lasting change and lays the foundations of a society
free from violence.
70. Communicating on the costs of gender-based violence and on
the negative impact of harmful masculinities on men and on society
in general could also lead to social transformations. Activities
directed at men and boys for the fight against gender-based violence
should address them in their diversity. The rejection of harmful
masculinities and promotion of mindful masculinities can be part
of the public debate. Awareness-raising campaigns could be a useful
contribution.
71. Working with perpetrators of gender-based violence against
women and girls is very important as they could share their experience
and inspire change. Developing programmes for perpetrators of gender-based violence
is essential in the fight against gender-based violence and in order
to ensure that the violence will not be repeated.
72. Professionals welcoming and assisting survivors of gender-based
violence should receive comprehensive training. According to Maxime
Ruszniewski, not all men were similarly responsible in the prevention
and fight against gender-based violence. Police officers and general
practitioners are often men and the first persons women survivors
of violence are in contact with.
73. It is crucial to have male role models who show that they
share care responsibilities, that it is OK to show emotions, take
care of children, and promote gender equality within the family
and at work. Politicians need to speak up about their responsibility
to prevent and combat gender-based violence.
74. Public administrations and private companies could also be
more engaged in the fight against gender-based violence. Trainings
on preventing and combating sexism and gender-based violence could
be organised directly on the workplaces.
75. Without the involvement of men and their understanding of
the importance of their involvement, there will be only limited
progress in the fight for gender equality and against gender-based
violence. Calling on men to participate in equality debates and
to be more active for the promotion of gender equality, with positive messages
showing that men can be allies and be part of the solution, could
have concrete outcomes. Cinema, theatre, music, video clips and
social networks could be used to change mentalities.
8. Conclusions
76. I sincerely hope we are at
the beginning of a change of mindsets as we see more men questioning harmful
masculinities and willing to embrace a mindful masculinity. I am
hopeful when I see younger generations investing time in caring
for their families and partners, and I count on these exceptions
to become mainstream in the near future. There is indeed a strong
connection between the involvement of men in unpaid care work and
their personal commitment to the fight against gender-based violence.
77. I am also hopeful when I see the attention paid to exploring
masculinities and the vulnerabilities of men in popular culture,
such as in film and series, in addition to literature. Men are increasingly
showing their vulnerabilities on screen, questioning their education
and the role of their fathers in building up their masculinity.
This could encourage some changes in real life. Popular culture
can be a powerful means of changing mindsets.
78. While it has not been the main topic of this report, I am
also interested in discussing the topic of masculinities and international
relations and would encourage further work on this topic by the
Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination. Gender-based violence
is undeniably a threat to democracy and I believe our committee
could usefully discuss masculinities, conflict and their impact
on women and girls.
79. Feminism and the fight for gender equality are beneficial
for society as a whole. Men who are engaged in the fight against
gender-based violence do not take space away from women. Their participation
can be a positive contribution towards the general objective of
keeping more women and girls safe from violence. Men and women,
in all their diversity, can be allies in the fight against gender-based
violence and join forces for the transformation of social norms.