Gender inequality remains a critical challenge and threatens to severely undermine progress towards the new Global Goals for Sustainable Development (SDGs). This continued challenge is recognised in the policies and commitments of various development agencies. But while many gender equality policies and programmes only target and work with women and girls, compelling evidence and experience shows that engaging men and boys in these processes is crucial for lasting change.

This briefing highlights some implications for policy from the learning in the EMERGE project. It makes the case for reframing policy on gender equality in order to more productively factor in men and boys, and it suggests actions and approaches that policy makers can take to reframe policy in this area. 

This EMERGE practice brief pulls together lessons from good practice highlighted in the EMERGE case studies series. It will be useful for those designing and implementing projects, programmes and other initiatives to work with men and boys for gender equality. It addresses: how to focus or target an initiative with men and boys, designing a successful initiative, and challenges and future priorities.

This story of change pulls out the key findings and recommendations from EMERGE case study 7, which focuses on the work of Living Peace in DRC. This initiative provides support through group therapy for men (and their partners) to reduce sexual and gender based violence and promote equitable gender norms. 

Can pro-democratic transitional contexts pose opportunities to women’s political participation? This article analyses the changes in the political landscape since 1994 in South Africa in terms of how they have shaped the women’s movement, enabling women to become agents of addressing colonial and racial oppression.