Western Balkan Gender-Based Violence Prevention - 
-Young Men Initiative

Project Description
With a goal to prevent and reduce gender-based violence, CARE NW Balkans is implementing a ground-breaking program that works with young men aged 13-19 to deconstruct masculinity in their cultures and determine how gender norms and male socialization lead to inequitable attitudes.

Objective 1: To improve understanding and awareness of violence as an expected component of Balkan masculinities by male youth participants aged 13-19, youth service agencies (YSA), and CARE and ICRW

Objective 2: To develop, pilot and evaluate an European/Balkan model of youth-led gender based violence (GBV) prevention, focused on social change and young men

Objective 3: To influence global dialogue around youth policy and programming through documentation and sharing of lessons learned, tools, and methodologies

CARE has received funding from the Norwegian government to work with youth organizations to build more equitable attitudes and behaviors with young men and decreased both gendered and peer violence. This program entails confronting social norms around masculinity and violence, both through educational workshops and social marketing campaign targeted towards young men. Through the active us of participatory research methodology, both qualitative and quantitative, the project has engaged young men on these important issues and incorporated their ideas for addressing gendered violence.  The Young Men Initiative is based on the hypothesis that directly addressing personal attitudes about gender equity and a broader definition of sexuality for men (“masculinity” within the Balkan context) will have positive effects on a range of cognitive, behavioral and health outcomes for both men and women.  The project will seek to answer the critical questions:  “What are the specific gender norms and expectations that contribute to violent behavior among young Balkan men, and which interventions are most effective at reducing levels of violence and increasing gender-equitable behavior?”

Location
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro

Current partnered organizations

1.    Association for Sexual and Reproductive Health “XY” Sarajevo, B&H, http://www.xy.com.ba/
2.    Youth Cultural Centre Juventas, Podgorica, Montenegro, http://www.sexedukacija.cg.yu/
3.    Center for promotion healthy life style E 8, Belgrade, Serbia, http://www.e8.org.yu/
4.    Citizens Association “The Initiatives”, Prokuplje, Serbia, http://www.theinitiatives.org/
5.    Croatian Association for HIV – CA HIV, Zagreb, Croatia,  http://www.huhiv.hr/
6.    Perpetuum Mobile: Center for Youth and Community Development, Banja Luka, B&H http://www.pm.rs.ba/
7.    SMART Kolektiv - http://www.smartkolektiv.org/index_en.jsp
8.    Center for Education, Counseling and Research (CESI) - http://www.cesi.hr/eng/index.php

International partnered organizations
1.    The International Center for Research on Women (ICRW) USA, Washington, DC-based international research organization with offices in India and Uganda, http://www.icrw.org/
2.    NGO Promundo, Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, http://www.promundo.org.br/

Donor
–Ministry for Foreign Affairs Norway - MFA

Duration: June 2008 – June 2009 (12 Months)


Documentation:

1. Exploring dimensions of masculinity and violence.pdf

2. Istrazivanje dimenzija maskuliniteta i nasilja.pdf

3. pla report executive summary.pdf

4. Young Men Initiative - brochure local language.pdf

5. Young Men Initiative - brochure.pdf