UNESCO, in partnership with UNICEF, led discussions at the MEN Engage Symposium in Nairobi, focusing on the role of young men in advancing gender equality in Eastern Africa.
The breakout session attracted 70 professionals and youth from various organizations, including UN Women, UNFPA, UNAIDS, and UNICEF, who actively contributed to the discussions, sharing their perspectives and insights.
To effectively engage adolescents and youth, we need to go where they are and work not only for them but with them.
In addition, the session launched the TikTok challenge #ChangeMENtalities, designed to engage youth on social media in promoting positive masculinities. From 14 August to 30 September, young people are invited to participate by sharing their experiences with negative masculine stereotypes and proposing ways to counter them. Winners will be selected based on originality and their ability to engage others. They will become active participants in UNESCO’s campaign to combat gender-based violence.
The challenge is part of UNESCO’s global “Transforming MENtalities” initiative, which aims to promote positive masculinity models and involve men and boys, alongside girls and women, in advancing gender equality. This initiative also aligns with one of the key strategies discussed during the breakout session: effectively engaging adolescent boys and young men in gender equality efforts requires understanding both the digital and physical spaces they occupy and working with them to improve these environments.
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