INVOLVING MEN IN BRINGING UP CHANGES

From  16^th to 17^th June, two representative from ASPIRE RWANDA have attended the workshop which was an opportunity to exchange the ideas where the participants were contributing on how men can be integrated in gender sensitive programs, more especially in reference  to GBV (gender based violence ), the workshop was conducted by RWAMREC (Rwanda Men's Resource Centre); ASPIRE  RWANDA has participated in this workshop after observing that the sensitization done for the women of ASPIRE can’t have an impact in their lives and community while their husband-responsible of decision making in the community do not change their mindset so that  the women also can have the right to participate in decision making in order to develop their family and community in general.

The approach “MenEngange” is an approach involving a man in bringing up changes in the way we change our society because so far, Rwandans consider a man as the only powerful person.

Nevertheless, the reality is that nothing can happen without participation of men and women. In all NGO’s activities, objectives cannot be achieved if men don’t participate. The chairman of RWAMREC has mentioned that constructive ideas are expected to flow from participants so that we can all understand the real role of men in the process of positive changes in the society.

For the power and the responsibility of the men, the participants have set their thoughts, the main noted words were: Human being, model, witness, risk-taker, protector, Audacious, power, dictator, retaliator, leader, father, security,

Looking at noted words the main common ideas were powerful, superiority, responsibility, positive image; unfortunately all the above-mentioned powers of a man are exercised to women, children and subordinates. This is the real and big problems as participants cannot discover that those powers of a man are firstly supposed to be exercised to himself so that he can be enabled to solve all societal problems around him and within himself.

This means that the way we perceive a man is the one that shapes him the way he is so as to violate the society believing that he is doing right.

Some challenges: 

•  Dominant culture
•   Suspicion
•  Humiliation

Strategies to support men in the fighting against GBV:

•  Listen to and comfort them
• Trust them
• Fight against GBV
•  Promote change

Challenges to supporting men:

•  Resistance and terror/ fear
•  Lack of trust in men
• Stick on superiority and culture advantages.
• Lack of dialogue with others

Reasons of menengage:

•  Both genders are called upon
• Men’s role in society
•  Relevance to adopt positive masculinity behavior
•  Etc.

FIRST AID TRAINING

A generous donor recently made it possible for 52 women from the Aspire Rwanda programme to attend a training course led by the Rwandan Red Cross.  The course gave the women practical tools that they could use to help others in their community and to gain employment.

 

 Some of the Aspire women with their Red Cross course completion certificates

The Red Cross course provided specialised training in the following:

·         General first aid;

·         Burns prevention and care (burns are common in children, especially from paraffin lamps);

·         Problematic and emergency labour assistance;

·         Introduction to basic counselling skills.

The course was three days long, and the Red Cross was so impressed by the Aspire women that they gave Aspire an extra day of training  to cover some additional topics. 

 Red Cross course completion ceremony

Importantly, the women took the course shortly before Genocide Memorial Day on 7^th April, commemorating the 1994 Rwanda genocide.  This is an extremely difficult time for the people of Rwanda, many of whom experience re-traumatisation and depression during the month-long time of remembrance. The Aspire women reported that this year the Red Cross training in basic mental health made them feel better equipped to cope with their own trauma and that of their family and others.

Additionally, the training means the women are now eligible to be employed by the Rwandan Red Cross in cases of emergency in Kigali or surrounding areas.

Peace Ruzage, Aspire’s CEO, and Aspire participants have requested further Red Cross training.