New VisionsChanging Young Men’s

Attitudes Toward Gender Relations in Egypt

Presented by Leah Freij, Ph.D.

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

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

Why a Boys’ Program?

“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

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

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

Objectives of NV

Improve the life-skills, self-confidence, social competence

Increase knowledge on reproductive health

Increase gender sensitivity and awareness

New Visions Program

ImplementationPARTICIPATION2002 - 2004

NV

BENEFICIARIES 13,895

CLASSES 720

FACILITATORS 633

NGO/YC 180

GOVERNORATES 11

Pilot Phase – Pilot Phase – 20022002

Scale-up Phase – Scale-up Phase – 2003-042003-04

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

NEW VISIONS64 SESSIONSBOYS 12 - 20

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

MethodologyQuantitative 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 clubsCity Matched Pairs

T1 and T2

Alexandria 131

Beni Suef 324

Minya 526

Qena 496

Total 1477

Selected Findings

• Gender Norms/Roles

• Gender-Based Violence

Changes in Attitudes on Gender Norms/Roles

 Scales T1 T2 Min Max % Increase

1. Gender equality – food, clothing, freedom of mobility, age of marriage

3.8 5.1 0 6 22%

2. Spousal responsibility – involvement in decision -making ; pregnancy childbirth 2.3 3.9 0 4 38%

3. Gender roles – extent of disagreement on interchangeability of roles within and outside of the house 9.7 13.5 4 16 31%

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

Changes in Attitudes on Gender-Based Violence

Scale T 1 T 2 Min Max%

Increase

4. Domestic violence –circumstance justifiable for husband to hit wife (talks to other men, answers back) 12.5 16.6 7 21 29%

5. General GBV – early marriage, FGM considered violence 4.4 5.2 0 6 12%

6. FGM – 3 items:(i) Preference to marry

(un)/circumcised woman

(ii) Benefits of FGM outweigh harms

(iii) Type of violence 5.1 6.8 2 8 27%

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

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

Achievements

• Broke silence on FGM & changed attitudes on domestic violence

• Introduced concept of rights-based gender equality

• Youth centers “safe spaces” for girls

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.