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When Reel Turns Real

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Details

Jul 30 2021 to Jul 30 2021 6:30 p.m.

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Where

Bangalore International Centre

7 4th Main Rd, Stage 2, Domlur 560071

Event Description

One of the key pillars of socialisation among family, schools, communities, etc., is the media. Media plays a significant role in promoting and perpetuating patriarchal gender norms. With the advent of the internet, social media platforms, streaming platforms and OTT networks, media has become a pervasive influence in the lives of adolescents. Through this panel discussion we will understand some of the research and analytical tools available that enable us to gauge the impact of media on boys and notions of masculinity. We will understand the importance of having more diversity in the role models presented in mainstream media. We will explore the need to move away from heteronormative and hyper-masculine representations.

We aim to move beyond discussions of holding media accountable to try and provide the audience with the tools and language to critically evaluate gender norms portrayed in the media, to have meaningful conversations with our children about what they are seeing and also to exercise the agency that each of us has in the digital age by way of choosing what we consume more judiciously or choosing what we promote and circulate through our own social media channels.

About the Two-Part Webinar with Equal Community Foundation

Research shows that how parents treat each other plays an important role in the transfer of inter-generational norms. Children in equitable and non-violent homes are more likely to propagate those positive behaviours as adults and vice-versa. How do we create gender-equitable, non-violent environments in our homes?

Patriarchal gender norms are limiting outcomes in programming for women and girls. A recent report by Dasra (2019) has demonstrated how “the pace of social change, … maybe thwarted by the unintended adverse consequences of, or backlash against attempts to challenge existing power structures and relations.”

Millions of men and boys in India continue to be socialised into a culture that normalises gender-based violence and discrimination. Men and boys will continue to grow with the same attitudes and learn discriminatory behaviors if civil society does not actively create opportunities for them to understand and learn gender equitable behaviour. Hence, if we are to make progress towards achieving gender equality, we need to start including boys in the solutions alongside women and girls, and move closer to a gender-synchronized approach . Currently, very few organisations working to end violence against women engage men and boys in their work.

A study conducted by the Equal Community Foundation to understand the enablers and barriers to engaging boys and men towards gender equality, found that 90% of the 101 respondent organisations agreed that working with boys and men is important to reach their organisation’s goals. However, the organisations identified that a lack of structured tools and resources, a skilled team, evidence and funding were barriers for them to start integrating the approach of raising Gender Equitable Boys into their existing programmes with women and girls.

As part of Project Raise’s efforts to promote the approach of engaging boys in gender-transformative programmes focus has been on raising awareness, unlocking the felt need, providing capacity building support to CSOs and educating funders. These efforts have done well to create momentum and to prepare organisations to launch programmes to engage boys and men. This two-part webinar series has been envisioned in order to ensure that this momentum continues.

About Project Raise

Project Raise is a Collaborative of civil society organisations, funding organisations, government institutions and intermediaries committed to the common social outcome of raising Gender Equitable Boys. The platform is currently facilitated via but not limited to an online portal: www.projectraise.org.

Project Raise is currently facilitated by Equal Community Foundation.

                                   

 

Resources:

– Action Reaction: Understanding and Overcoming Backlash Against Girls Exercise of Agency in India (Dasra 2019)

– Gender-Equity and Male Engagement: It only works when everyone plays (2018)

– The National Conversation: Barriers and Enablers to Engage Men and Boys towards Gender Equality (2018)

Gender Fluidiity and Children
Overcoming Toxic Masculinity


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