Transforming gender norms through dialogue across Africa
In a symbolic gesture, participants of the Dialogue for Male Engagement on Gender Equality and Transformative Social Norms clap their hands, with a forward motion embodying the act of debunking social norms, on 21 August 2025 in Nairobi, Kenya. Credit: Events Comm Empire/Francis Mwangi
Throughout 2025, International IDEA convened a series of regional dialogues across Africa under the WYDE Women’s Leadership Initiative. Bringing together politicians, emerging leaders and civil society actors from more than 30 countries, these safe, mixed‑gender spaces confronted the patriarchal norms that continue to restrict women’s political participation.
Men spoke candidly about privilege and how patriarchy shapes their lives, while women set out clear expectations for authentic allyship. The result was a stronger, shared commitment to transform harmful gender norms, shift leadership cultures and build more inclusive political environments—an urgent response to the EU Gender Action Plan III (2021-2025), SDG 5 and the UN Development Programme (UNDP) 2023 Gender Social Norms Index that underscore the persistence of discriminatory gender social norms across the world.
Men must establish self-reflection and personal transformation: we must examine our own privileges if we want to make change.
| Funding | European Union |
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