Since 2003, the IRC has been working to engage men in gender-based violence prevention, as a key primary intervention. While violence against women and girls takes various forms in different communities and countries, it stems from gender inequality and the patriarchal norms and beliefs that shape how individuals and groups are socialized.
The IRC is engaged in preventing GBV by addressing the roots of violence against women. Our primary prevention interventions encompass a wide range of actions working at different levels of society (individual, community, state) to change social norms, institutional practice and policy. In our work we strive to:
- Empower women socially and economically
- Mobilize communities through awareness-raising campaigns, education and social marketing strategies
- Influence government policy and legislation to explicitly address primary prevention
- Change organizational practices to be more gender aware and put in place specific and proactive policies of zero tolerance
- Foster local coalitions and networks to promote violence free communities and advocate for change
- Work with men and boys to address beliefs and behaviors that create and perpetuate gender inequality
The IRC is currently developing an overarching Primary Prevention Framework to help field programs work toward transformative social change that supports the leadership of women and girls to have the resources to live free from violence and to promote interventions which reinforce social justice and gender equality across multiple contexts and situations.