91�鶹������Ʒ����

Adolescent boys and young men play a crucial role in promoting gender equality, especially in Eastern Africa, where youth form the majority. However, men and boys are often excluded from gender equality discussions. 

The "Transforming MENtalities: Strategies and Lessons Learned in Men and Boys Engagement" breakout session, organized by the UNESCO Regional Office for Eastern Africa during the MEN Engage Symposium in Nairobi from 12 to 14 August 2024, focused engaging men and boys as key allies in the gender equality efforts. In collaboration with , and , the session explored challenges, opportunities, and innovative strategies to involve young men and boys in advancing gender equality in the region.

The breakout session attracted 70 professionals and youth from various organizations, including , , , and who actively contributed to the discussions, sharing their perspectives and insights.

The session began with the presentation and launch of the report "Unlocking Bottlenecks on Male Engagement and Inclusion in East Africa", co-authored by and UNESCO. The report provides an in-depth analysis of the policy and societal landscape surrounding male engagement in Eastern Africa. It highlights how the roles of men and boys as gender equality allies are often overlooked by policymakers, NGOs, and civil society. The report emphasizes that their active participation in planning and implementing gender equality actions is critical for meaningful progress.

Following the report presentation, a panel discussion brought together representatives from , Thriving Communities Africa, , and a young advocate from UNESCO’s "Our Rights, Our Lives, Our Futures" flagship programme on comprehensive sexuality education and a young content creator promoting gender equality. The discussion highlighted that empowering men and boys as gender equality allies requires addressing the socio-cultural roots of gender inequality and its negative impact on everyone, including issues related to the mental health and well-being of men and boys.

In addition, the session launched the, designed to engage youth on social media in promoting positive masculinities. From 14 August to 30 September, young people are invited to participate by sharing their experiences with negative masculine stereotypes and proposing ways to counter them. Winners will be selected based on originality and their ability to engage others. They will become active participants in UNESCO’s campaign to combat gender-based violence.

The challenge is part of UNESCO's global "Transforming MENtalities" initiative, which aims to promote positive masculinity models and involve men and boys, alongside girls and women, in advancing gender equality. This initiative also aligns with one of the key strategies discussed during the breakout session: effectively engaging adolescent boys and young men in gender equality efforts requires understanding both the digital and physical spaces they occupy and working with them to improve these environments.