IWSAW and its partners supported the Three-Day Regional Conference on Masculinities in the Arab World: Trajectories to peace and gender equality, led by Promundo, Abaad, and UN Woman. The three day conference aimed at presenting IMAGES study, its findings, exchange expertise and lessons learned. IMAGES is a survey based study, which highlights the importance of men’s engagement to achieve gender equality. Given the lack of data on men’s views on gender equality this study intends to clarify this gap, in order to bridge the differences.

Speakers mentioned that pathways to gender equality entails analyzing and understanding the following key factors: Household, violence drivers, health and well-being of women and men, and economic stress and conflict.

Some of the key recommendations:

1- Educational reform should focus on quality education – (gender mainstreaming across all disciplines)

2- Programs should be directed to boys and girls

3-  Raising awareness is necessary but not enough, we should address stigma around sexuality and reproductive health

4- NGOs should be careful not to replicate patriarchal systems

5- Importance to provide space for youth to build their capacities

6-  Learn from the youth that have been championing in their community what they have learned in the capacity building training

7- Usage of innovative tools; communication, advocacy, videos, infographics, and social media to reach youth 

8-  We should invest financial and human capital on gathering field evidences, and primary data

9- We need to include women and non-violent men in peaceful negotiation

10-  Women should be portrayed as leaders not victims, they should not be hidden figures

11-  Gender identity of youth intercept other identities

12- The topic of family planning and fatherhood; research is fundamental to increasingly include men in domestic life

13- Nurturing empathy in men’s mentality and behavior