Journeys of Transformation: A training manual for engaging men as allies in women’s economic empowerment

Why is the manual important?

Globally, most livelihood and economic empowerment initiatives in the global South currently focus on women, and with good reason.

However, many women’s economic empowerment interventions find that household decision-making continues to be dominated by men, and that efforts to empower women economically may inadvertently reinforce norms that women are caregivers and invested in their families, while men are assumed negligent.

If we can engage men as allies in the process and take into account their realities and needs, we can:

• improve the economic empowerment, gender equality and poverty-alleviation effects of voluntary loans and savings associations
• avoid harm to women and acknowledge the need for women’s empowerment

Who is the manual for?

The manual is for trainers and group facilitators who will work with men and their partners in economic empowerment programs for women.

Country of focus: Rwanda

How can I use the manual?

This manual is designed for trainers to engage men as the husbands and partners of the women beneficiaries of CARE’s voluntary loans and savings associations.

The trainers should:

• have basic knowledge about gender concepts and male engagement approaches
• receive training in the use of the manual

The manual covers why and how the manual was developed; how to manage groups; session topic areas; and trainer and expert guidelines, and trainer tools.

The session topics for the community training include:

• managing a business: men’s and women’s roles in savings and loan programs, time management, task sharing, decision-making, business skills
• staying healthy: reproductive health, sexuality, alcohol use
• obeying laws: understanding and preventing violence, perceptions and implications of the laws

When and how was it developed?

The manual was developed in 2012 by Promundo and CARE-Rwanda.

Where can I get the manual? Who can I contact?

Download the manual here [3.2 MB].

Henny Slegh

h.slegh@promundo.org.br

Promundo and CARE International in Rwanda. 2012. Journeys of Transformation: A Training Manual for Engaging Men as Allies in Women’s Economic Empowerment. Washington, DC, USA, and Kigali, Rwanda: Promundo and CARE.