About NMA

WHY A NATIONAL NETWORK?

Due to lack of coordination, technical knowledge, capacity, financial assistance and networking among likeminded groups, organizations and activists, advocacy efforts generally diluted and actions fail to bring the desired results. Working with boys and men in Afghanistan is gradually streamlined. There is no masculinity, boys and men engagement platform specific to provide a space to those working on men and boys engagement or interested to work on this topic without having adequate expertise, skill building, financial and networking support. Those who are engaged in men and boy’s advocacy for raising their voices are not properly heard by being alone. There is a dire need to establish joint platform for collective voices not only to build men and boy’s engagement momentum but also providing knowledge and guidance to those whose core interest is to engage men and boys in addressing inequalities and non-discriminations. With a view to promote linkages among various likeminded organizations, activists individuals and to create synergy in their rights based initiatives, there is a need to structure their efforts by setting up and strengthening of National Masculinity Alliance at national level. This could be further streamlined at provincial and districts level to promote men and boy’s positive role, efforts and support in creating a positive, supportive and enabling environment both for girls/women and boys/men. 

There are few organizations working with boys, girls and young men in Afghanistan. UNDP, BAAG, Women for Women International, UNWOMEN, UNICEF and CARE International are few of those who are at the front to engage boys and women in their programs. National Masculinity Alliance of likeminded organizations with defined goals and objectives can facilitate developing enabling environment for girls, women and boys men in Afghanistan. This alliance can work and build linkages with women empowerment movements to conduct targeted advocacy with such organizations and government agencies to get engaged with men and boys and further promote national men and boy’s engagement alliance. This alliance can be mandated to design programs that encourage the role of men in non-violent family and community relations along with their full participation in maternal and child health and in sexual and reproductive health and rights.

In this section it will be good to include information about MenEngage Alliance: to strengthening voices and programs on ‘transforming masculinities and engaging boys and men in gender equality’ various civil society Organisations and actors have come together to form a global network “the MenEngage Alliance”. Within this there is South Asian regional network of MenEngage Alliance “MenEngage Alliance in South Asia”, which currently includes networks in 5 countries in the region: Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. So it’s the time for organizations in Afghanistan understand and acknowledge the importance of this work/approach and come together to form a group of like-minded organizations to support each other and get connected with the global initiatives and processes. 

GOALS, OBJECTIVES  

Large scale social transformative processes require the spread of counter ideas as well as a critical mass of people who will translate these ideas into practice in their everyday lives and building of new institutions. Further, if it is to be transformative then the agents of change whom we recognize should have to be the people who are in a way embedded within the issues in which we are concerned with. Hence the National Network in Afghanistan will aim to provide a collective voice on the need to engage men and boys in gender equality, to build and improve the field of practice around engaging men in achieving gender justice, and advocating before policymakers at the local, provincial and national levels, including at regional and international levels as appropriate. This network will closely work and complement the works of the women’s rights and gender justice activists, organizations and networks in Afghanistan, in an accountable manner.  

Goal: Contribute in achieving gender equality in Afghanistan by creating a strong national network of organizations, institutions and individuals with increased commitment and capacities on gender transformative approaches to engage boys and men.

Objectives: Act as a platform to facilitate the efforts of all local, national, international and government actors to develop human rights friendly legal and social environment
Create a strong community of practice to advocate for and contribute with nuanced analysis of gender transformative approaches on engaging boys and men in gender equality and GBV prevention within relevant policy and programing spheres in Afghanistan, and beyond.
Facilitate and arrange technical skill and knowledge building opportunities, space and place to all local, national and international organizations and activists and also to share their concerns and advocate for peaceful environment
Strengthen gender transformative approaches to engage boys and men in gender equality efforts, in collaboration and partnership with women’s right activists, organizations and networks in Afghanistan.