Why are we involving men & boys in the fight for gender equality?

• Author: Wainaina, Njoki

There are many reasons for involving men and boys in the struggle for gender equality. For a start (whether justly, legally or appropriately), most men hold the power and privileges contented for in this struggle. They must be engaged as they will have to give up some of this power and these privileges for this struggle to be won. Whether this is achieved through persuasion (socialisation), political struggle and coercion (legislation and policy) or divine intervention, they have to be involved.

During the Decade for Women (1976-1985), I was privileged to work with women in development programmes in several countries in Africa. I had the chance to see the difference that men who support women's empowerment could make. In one country, where women were not allowed to borrow money except with the consent of their husbands, fathers, sons or uncles, one bank manager decided that female borrowers were credit-worthy and worth taking a risk with. He facilitated women's access to credit, breaking a barrier to their empowerment and creating a precedent that could be used by other female borrowers, as well as proving the point that female borrowers were worth taking a risk with. Similar examples could be given of male judges, magistrates, police officers, permanent secretaries, ministers and heads of state who have made a difference because they believe in women's empowerment. Men for gender equality is a way of recognising and deliberately mobilising such men to be part of the struggle. Such men exist in the thousands and would participate in the struggle if the strategy to involve them is explicit.

I grew up in a patriarchal community, but with a father who believed in equal opportunities. I am therefore the product of a man's determination to achieve social justice because he believed that, as a Christian, to do so was a divine command. My late father fought female circumcision with every weapon available, including physical confrontation, gave his daughters every opportunity he gave his sons, including inheritance, refused dowry, defied patriarchy and left a legacy that enabled the women of my family to claim equality. He was a model that our community could ridicule or admire, oppose or emulate-but one that could not be ignored. My work with men results from my desire to multiply the number of men like my father. I believe if every girl got from her father what I got from mine, then our struggle would move forward.

Sadly, however, my father did...