Strengthening Gender Equality by Understanding Masculinities

On 7 December 2023, WIIS Brussels organized a unique public event dedicated to the role of masculinities in peace, conflict and security. The event was hosted at The Nine, Belgium’s first female-focused private members’ club. It was sponsored by the Joint Delegation of the Netherlands to NATO.

‘Gender’ continues to be understood as a synonym for women. Though well-intentioned, the responsibility of achieving gender equality shouldn’t solely be on the shoulders of women. In fact, by focusing on women, gender risks being treated as a feature of individuals instead of a system of power relations which requires structural change. The main objective of the event was therefore to raise awareness of the fact that understanding and integrating masculinities in conflict and gender analysis are necessary requirements of a more transformative approach to violence and peace.

This topic was discussed by a gender-balanced line-up of experts:

Erik Melander: Professor, Department of Peace and Conflict Research, Uppsala University

Jonna Naumanen: Senior Expert on Gender and WPS & Advisor to the EU Ambassador for Gender and Diversity, EEAS

Oleksandra Garshyna: Project Officer, WIN for Women and Men, OSCE

Tomas Henning: Policy Officer Partnerships, Civilian Planning and Conduct Capability, EEAS

.. and was moderated by Romana Michelon, Secretary General of WIIS Brussels. The conversation was held under the Chatham House Rule.

Our event kicked off by establishing a baseline of knowledge on the meaning of ‘masculinities’ and the relevance of this topic to understanding peace and conflict. The EU was remarked as having appropriately incorporated masculinities in its strategic documents on gender, though more work has to be done in terms of practical implementation on the ground. The conversation also looked at the role in and impact of masculinities on the security organizations many of us work within. The OSCE’s investment in the topic, including its WIN for Women and Men Project and Toolkit for OSCE Staff on Engaging Men in Gender Equality, was brought up as a good practice for other organizations to consider.

This event convened participants from international organizations, academia and civil society, and offered practical recommendations for gender practitioners at the national and international level. As WIIS Brussels, we hope to build on this event and engage in more and different conversations on masculinities; by zooming in on specific conflict contexts as well as by working directly with interested audiences in international organizations. In parallel, we continue to be dedicated to engaging more interested men in our own activities and organization.

Thanks everyone for supporting our efforts and for participating in this unique conversation! In case you have any questions, comments or feedback for us in this regard, please be in touch.

Contact details:

Romana Michelon, rmichelon@wiis-brussels.org

Mona Koehler-Schindler, mkoehler-schindler@wiis-brussels.org