As the results from the historic November elections in Myanmar were still trickling in, International Alert hosted its first public talk of what is planned to be a series of events on issues central to the peace processes that the newly elected government, along with the other negotiating parties and civil society, will need to tackle over the coming years.
The event, which took place in Yangon on 18 November, focused on gender. Henri Myrttinen, Head of Gender at Alert, presented his experience on working on issues of men and masculinities in peacebuilding. Myrttinen highlighted the need to take a broad approach to gender in peacebuilding, looking at the roles and needs of women and of men, and how these relate to each other.
While men and boys everywhere are affected by conflict and peacebuilding – be it as fighters or as peacebuilders, as survivors and/or perpetrators of violence – they are seldom seen as ‘gendered beings’, with expectations of ‘manliness’ placed on them by themselves and others. These expectations can both increase the likelihood of men and boys resorting to violence and of becoming victims of violence. In order to achieve inclusive, sustainable peace, Myrttinen stressed that some of these male gender norms need to be changed, while simultaneously also promoting women's empowerment. (Courtesy of International Alert)
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