Champions of Change

Boys and men play an important role in overcoming gender inequality and discrimination. Men and boys must be part of the solution to end violence and discrimination against women and girls. Working with girls and women to challenge and reduce gender inequality is fundamental but boys and men must also confront unequal power relations and work as allies towards girls’ rights. Men still hold much of the power in society and therefore have the power to bring about change. The Champions of Change for Gender Equality and Girls’ Rights programme, active in 41 countries, aims to advance gender equality through youth engagement. The programme aims to empower girls and engage boys to identify and challenge harmful, negative masculinities that perpetuate discrimination and inequality. We work with children, youth, and communities to shift the agenda towards gender equality. The programme has developed separate but interrelated journeys of change for both boys and girls. The journey for girls focuses on self-esteem, rights awareness, collective power and economic empowerment. The journey for boys includes learning how to avoid contributing to inequality and transform discriminatory attitudes and behaviours that perpetuate imbalances of power. They have the opportunity to learn how unfair expectations and negative masculinities also affect them, and learn how they can support girls' rights and gender equality. As part of the Champions of Change programme, girls and boys come together to discuss their changing views on gender and social transformation and work together to find solutions for their communities.