Men's Engagement Training
Advancing girls and women in lucrative industries requires the leadership, participation, commitment, and allyship of men. Through change management coaching, coursework, and men's engagement trainings, Engendering Industries engages men to be workplace gender equality champions.
Working closely with our partners, USAID’s Engendering Industries program identifies male gender equality champions within partner organizations and empowers them with the tools, skills, and knowledge needed to advance gender equality across the workforce. Through workshops and trainings, delivered in partnership with Equimundo, men commit to concrete actions that advance gender equality at home, in communities, and the workplace.
In 2022 Engendering Industries launched its men’s engagement training, developed in partnership with Equimundo. The training catalyzes workforce reflection and dialogue, and highlights the ways gender norms and inequalities lead to disparities in rights, workforce opportunities, and access to resources for men and women.
Through group activity and individual reflection, the training promotes changes in knowledge, attitudes, and practices to build equitable, respectful, and collaborative corporate cultures.
Engaging Men as Change Agents and Allies
Engaging both men and women on gender equality within partner organizations is a necessity. It helps organizations more effectively address inequalities in employment outcomes and disparities in the way they run their businesses.
Some best practices include those that:
- Recognizes male employees as critical stakeholders in achieving gender equality in the workplace.
- Raises awareness among men on the ways gender equality benefits men.
- Encourages male employees to become mentors, allies, change agents, ambassadors, and sponsors, with active roles and responsibilities.
- Supports men to become active participants and vocal supporters of gender equality, and publicly speak out against gender-based violence and discrimination against women and girls around the world.
- Fosters company dialogue between men and women to identify the goals of the corporate culture and how to achieve them.
- Supports male leaders to model male allyship and encourage other male employees to participate.
- Creates a safe space for men to talk about the negative impacts of patriarchy and toxic masculinity on men, while identifying opportunities to step out of traditional roles and patterns that don’t serve them.
Resources
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This manual seeks to engage men through reflection and dialogue that promote healthy masculinity and attitudes and practices that reflect the values of equality, respect, collaboration, and allyship with women.
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This resource outlines key benefits of engaging men for gender equality, and includes three case studies from Engendering Industries partners.
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The Engendering Industries Men's Engagement program shifts the hearts and minds of male leaders in West Africa.
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Daniel Ihoya-Ojie and Pramod Mishra discuss the importance of engaging men to advance workforce gender equality.
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BSES Rajdhani Power Limited (BRPL) improves parental leave for all employees. Improving work/life balance boosts performance at the utility.