Redefining Masculinity Workshops

Overview

The Redefining Masculinity Workshops aimed to challenge traditional notions of masculinity and promote healthier, more inclusive male identities. Many societies reinforce the idea that men should be dominant, unemotional, and aggressive. This project sought to reshape these ideas by teaching young men about empathy, emotional intelligence, and gender equality.

Objectives

• To encourage self-reflection on harmful masculinity norms and their consequences.
• To teach young men how to express emotions in healthy ways and build respectful relationships.
• To promote gender equality by showing how men can be allies in the feminist movement.

Activities

• Gender-Sensitivity Training: Facilitators led interactive workshops exploring how societal norms shape male behavior and how these norms can be changed.
• Open Forums & Experience Sharing: Men were encouraged to share personal stories about breaking free from gender expectations and redefining masculinity.
• School & College Engagement: Workshops were integrated into academic institutions, reaching young men at a formative stage in their lives.
• Public Awareness Campaigns: HDV collaborated with local influencers, community leaders, and media outlets to challenge toxic masculinity at a broader level.

Impact

Over 500 young men participated in these workshops, and many reported a change in their perspective on masculinity and gender roles. Participants demonstrated an increased willingness to challenge sexist behaviors, advocate for gender equality, and adopt a more inclusive and supportive outlook on relationships and society.