The Men and Masculinity project is set to be rolled out in Delft over the next six months and coincides with the 16 Days of Activism campaign for no violence against women and children.
The City of Cape Town is throwing the ball into the court of men to help tackle gender-based violence.
Over the next six months, the Social Development and Early Childhood Development Department will facilitate training for a group of 50 men from Delft and surrounds. They are the first participants in the Men and Masculinity project.
This is the second gender-specific programme to be launched by the Department – the other being the very successful Women for Change programme.
The Men and Masculinity initiative will explore a number of social aspects linked to violence against women and children, including gender relations as shaped by culture, tradition and religion; substance abuse; HIV/Aids; parenting; and cultivating positive role models.
‘You can’t expect behavioural change without unpacking the complexities that characterise the epidemic that is gender-based violence. The Men and Masculinity project aims to do just that, by holding up a mirror to men and helping them assess and adjust their view of themselves, the world and their role in it.
‘The project intersects with the theme for the 16 Days of Activism campaign which calls for inclusion of all. Many existing interventions do not include men, who more often than not are the perpetrators of violence and abuse. If we are to safeguard our women and children, we need active participation from all members of society, because violence and gender-based violence in particular is a societal problem and not something that can be fixed by government alone,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security; and Social Services, Alderman JP Smith.
The project has three phases: training, post-training support, and the formation of men’s groups that will meet once a week and also recruit and train more participants into the future.
‘The launch of this project is an opportunity to lay the groundwork for change in our communities. It’s an opportunity for introspection, but also a toolkit for men on how they can make a more positive contribution to their families and society as a whole. The City of Cape Town is committed to building safer communities through its Organisational Development and Transformation Plan, but it is everyone’s business and so I urge community organisations, religious groupings and individuals to work with us to make the change possible,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Area Central, Councillor Siyabulela Mamkeli.
The City also conducts domestic violence education through its Women for Change programme as well as the Metro Police Department’s social crime prevention arm. The training and awareness sessions focus on a number of aspects, including what domestic abuse is, what women’s rights are, and where they can seek help.
‘Gender-based violence and abuse is far too common an occurrence in our society and it’s important to empower those most vulnerable to it. We also need to remind ourselves that the fight lasts longer than 16 days and should in fact be an issue that remains at the forefront of our collective conscience all year round,’ added Alderman Smith.