The goal of Save the Children Sweden’s gender programme is to challenge root causes of violence against children and promote gender equality through engaging with boys and men in partnership with girls and women.
Save the Children Sweden in South and Central Asia is committed to working with boys and men – in partnership with girls and women – to challenge the root causes of gender discrimination and gender based violence, including negative social constructions of gender. We believe that it is vital to sensitise and involve boys from an early age starting with early childhood education and care. Boys and men should not be viewed solely as the source of gender discrimination but as part of the solution. Positive examples of boys and men taking a proactive role in combating violence should be encouraged and built upon.
It is critical that men and boys are engaged in this process to attain a real and sustainable change in values, attitudes and practices. We address gender discrimination through a child rights based approach by helping boys and girls to become agents of change in their communities and to carry out advocacy work, constituency building, and direct actions promoting gender equality.
Participation in Regional Bodies
Save the Children Sweden has an active role in the South Asia Coordinating Group against violence against women and children (SACG) which aims at promoting a coordinated approach and response to protect women and children. SACG works to influence the South Asian Associations for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and other global and regional forums/bodies working on ending violence against women and children. By advocating and building networks among likeminded organizations in South Asia we are able to strengthen regional monitoring of violence issues. SACG also provides the necessary technical and additional support to the South Asia Forum on ending violence against children (SAF), which is the group of government representatives from all of the countries in South Asia.
Working in specific thematic areas
Engaging boys and men in their communities is essential in order to change behaviour and attitudes. To strengthen this work we invest in research, programmes, advocacy, capacity building and information sharing. We conduct workshops on working with boys and men and enlist boys and men in efforts to reduce gender-based violence together with agencies such as UNIFEM, Instituto Promundo, Population Council, UNDP, Partners for Preventions, International Plan Parenthood Federation (IPPF), UNICEF etc.
A part of the MenEngage Alliance
Save the Children Sweden is a member of the steering committee of MenEngage, a Global Alliance of NGOs, INGOs and UN agencies that seek to engage boys and men in gender equality and ending violence. We act as the regional secretariat for the MenEngage South Asian Alliance in order to build a strong alliance committed to ending violence against women and children in the region. We support the regional alliance by providing capacity development, strengthening the networks, providing technical expertise and supporting advocacy work around engaging boys and men for gender equality and violence prevention.
Working as a facilitator
The Save the Children Sweden in South and Central Asia plays an important role as a facilitator of collective action within the national networks and with key stakeholders nationally and regionally. We create communication material for social change, which enhance the knowledge and skills of like-minded organisations. We foster cooperation, share knowledge and information and build key relationships to initiate collaborative activities and campaigns for behavioural and social change.