"Many of the challenges men are facing today - like loneliness, frustration, and disconnection - are real, but the solutions offered by anti-democratic ideologies only make things worse. What we're showing here is that there is a better way" - Hessel Schaaf, Emancipator.
MEN4DEM releases another report on interventions, this time from the perspective of our expert organization - Emancipator. This report explores strategies for countering antidemocratic tendencies among young boys and men trough transforming masculinities and promoting democratic values. It introduces the concepts of democratic and antidemocratic masculinities and connects them to broader cultural norms and democratic ideals.
The practices presented in this report demonstrate how organisations across Europe are actively engaging men and boys in efforts to promote gender equality and social justice.
Three key mechanisms of change emerge across these interventions
- Fostering empathy through immersion in safe, vulnerable spaces;
- Transforming together: men doing the work and sharing their stories with peers
- Messages of care and empowerment for structural change
The report offers concrete recommendations for practitioners, educators, policy makers, and advocates to strengthen and scale up this work. It calls for sustained investment, collaboration across sectors, and a long-term commitment to fostering democratic masculinities. This report provides both a strategic overview and practical guides for anyone working to transform masculinities in support of gender equality across Europe and beyond.
Download and read the full report
Authors:
- Hessel Schaaf, Emancipator
- Jip Mars, Emancipator