Gender norms, poverty and armed conflict in Cote D’Ivoire: engaging men in womens social and economic empowerment programming
Outcomes: Gender‑Based Violence, Women’s Economic Empowerment
View SourceKey Social Norms Take-aways The study underscores that addressing social norms about masculinity, power, and gender roles is crucial when designing interventions to reduce IPV. In contexts where men’s sense of identity is tightly linked to their economic role, programs must thoughtfully challenge inequitable norms while supporting men and women together. Combining economic empowerment with gender dialogue holds potential to reshape household norms and reduce violence, but must be guided carefully to ensure women’s agency remains central.
Objectives This study examined how engaging men in a combined women’s social and economic empowerment intervention in Côte d’Ivoire affected intimate partner violence (IPV), gender norms, and household dynamics, particularly in a conflict-affected setting where poverty, armed conflict, and masculinity intersect.
Methods Researchers conducted qualitative in-depth interviews with 32 male partners of women who participated in a two-armed randomized controlled trial between 2010 and 2012. The trial combined women’s village savings and loans associations (VSLA) with gender dialogue groups (GDG) that included both women and their male partners. The interviews explored men’s perspectives on gender norms, poverty, masculinity, their motivations for participating, and the perceived benefits of the program.
Intervention Details The intervention included VSLA groups for women and additional GDG sessions for couples in the treatment arm. These GDG sessions provided education on financial planning, non-violence, and gender equality, aiming to improve household financial decision-making and reduce IPV.
Results Men described feeling pressure to fulfill traditional masculine roles as economic providers, a role undermined by poverty and the impacts of armed conflict. Many men reported positive changes after participating in the GDGs, including better communication with partners, more joint financial decision-making, reductions in wasteful spending (like alcohol), and improved conflict resolution without violence. They also expressed increased respect for their partners’ contributions and shared program lessons with others in the community.
Conclusions Engaging men in gender-transformative programming alongside women’s economic empowerment efforts appears feasible and promising in reducing IPV and improving household dynamics, especially in conflict-affected areas. Financial motivations were effective entry points for engaging men in discussions about gender norms and violence.
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