New Visions Changing Young Men’s Attitudes Toward Gender Relations in Egypt

1. New VisionsChanging Young Men’s Attitudes Toward Gender Relations in Egypt Presented by Leah Freij, Ph.D.

2. Presentation • Setting the context • How New Visions (NV) came about • Objectives of NV • Description of NV program • KAP survey regarding gender norms, roles and GBV • Achievements • Lessons learned

3. New Horizons (NH) Program Non-formal education • High illiteracy rate – 70% • High fertility rate – 1 in 5 married before 15 • High rate of circumcision - 97% • Demystify & communicate RH • Basic life skills 62,582 girls completed NH

4. Why a Boys’ Program? What about my father, brother and future husband? If they don't know these things, we will have difficulties getting our rights. Would you please provide them with the same information.” -a girl from Qena “How are we going to benefit and put this into action if men around us don't appreciate it? Can you please educate them.” -a girl from Sohag

5. New Visions Program • Complements NH • Responds to men’s distinct needs • Literate boys between 12-20 • Communities where NH has been or was being delivered • Implemented in youth centers

6. Objectives of NV • Improve the life-skills, self-confidence, social competence • Increase knowledge on reproductive health • Increase gender sensitivity and awareness

7. New Visions Program Implementation • Pilot Phase – 2002 • Scale-up Phase – 2003-04

8. Challenges in Designing NV • Safe space to participate in discussions • Engage boys in formulating alternative masculinities • Overcome cultural barriers on sensitive topics • Community buy-in to involve young boys • Girls and young women have rights

9. MANUAL I Values Human emotions Gender Communications Human relations Marriage Family Puberty & Adolescence Reproductive Health MANUAL II Personal Health & Nutrition Life Skills Work Civil & Legal Rights Health Rights First Aid Our Community Environment Planning for the Future NEW VISIONS64 SESSIONSBOYS 12 - 20

10. Methodology • Quantitative Methodology – KAP Survey • KAP survey: 2 data points– baseline and post (~6 months later) • Qualitative Methodology • Focus groups with beneficiaries, facilitators and beneficiaries’ sisters • Interviews with directors of youth clubs

11. Selected Findings • Gender Norms/Roles • Gender-Based Violence

12. Changes in Attitudes on Gender Norms/Roles

13. Beneficiaries’ Quotes “Although I always obeyed my mother, I felt emasculated because I didn’t really believe household chores were a man’s job. I discovered that it is acceptable for a man to help his wife and mother and began to perceive my mother in a different light.” –Ahmed “I used to think that any girl walking alone in the street was loose and fair game for sexual harassment. We always used to harass girls, but since graduating from New Visions I have stopped doing this. I know that all girls are like my sisters. Now I treat the girls at the Youth Club as equals”—Amr

14. Changes in Attitudes on Gender-Based Violence

15. Quotes on Gender Based Violence There is nothing called minor hitting and major hitting, it is all hitting and it is all degrading to women. However, Islam gave the man the right to hit one’s wife very superficially using a small stick just to make her understand that she did something wrong. However, it is a right one should only resort to if all other means are not working.—Facilitator (Qena) We learned about the physical and psychological harms. We listened but as long as it conflicts with religion then that's it, we cannot be convinced by it.—Beneficiary We started to respect our sisters. In the past we used to think that we own them. –Beneficiary

16. Voices of Stakeholders & Facilitators “Not only were we convinced, we felt guilty. I remember by heart, the words of one religious leader at the seminar who said that ‘FGM is a cheap victory on a girls’ freedom.” —Director of YC “After I joined the program I realized that [FGM] constitutes physical violence because it involves the removal of a part of the female’s body. It also constitutes psychological violence because it affects the sexual relationship negatively and thus can lead to divorce.” —Facilitator

17. Achievements • Broke silence on FGM & changed attitudes on domestic violence • Introduced concept of rights-based gender equality • Youth centers “safe spaces” for girls

18. Lessons Learned Both men and women are constrained by societal norms. For true partnership to take place, it is necessary for individual to examine their own roles, their roles in relation to one another, and within the context of the society at large.