The African Women's Caucus on the role of men and boys.

• Author: Banda, Nelson

The African Women's Caucus at the annual session of the United Nations (UN) Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) in New York challenged governments to intensify the training of men and boys in gender analysis and mainstreaming so as to change negative attitudes learnt from the family and community. The Caucus recommended that focus be placed on women's sexual and reproductive health and rights as more women are abused within the family and men and boys have little information about women's' reproductive and sexual health and rights.

"There is need to develop user-friendly training materials which should be integrated into school curricula on gender and HIV/AIDS targeting men and boys," the Caucus observed. The Caucus also noted that policies and programmes in governments and the private sector, such as those relating to paternity leave, would assist in enhancing male involvement in eliminating gender stereotypes and changing gender roles.

The Caucus further noted men and boys are being recognised as potential partners in the struggle for gender equality across Africa as they have participated in campaigns seeking to end gender-based violence (GBV). But the majority of men's groups are still in their infancy and their capacity to be effective partners is currently low.

With respect to conflict, the Caucus called on African women to take their rightful place in peace building and in post conflict situations. It noted that, in the last decade, nearly all African sub-regions witnessed armed conflicts in which women and children have been more victims than initiators. African women have played pivotal roles in bringing warring parties to the negotiating table, for example, in Liberia and Sierra Leone through the efforts of the Manu River Union Women Peace Network (MARWOPNET), but they have been excluded from peace negotiations and decision-making...