Engaging men and boys to prevent gender-based violence in South Africa: possibilities, tensions and debates

Abstract

Drawing on the findings of a qualitative study, this article explores efforts to engage men in preventing gender-based violence in South Africa. The discussion focuses on the perspectives of people who are doing this work, their rationale for engaging men and the various challenges and tensions they encounter. This article concludes that while efforts to engage men are essential, they must be grounded in an intersectional feminist analysis of gendered power relations. The findings reflect broader debates within the gender and development literature around “bringing men in” and may thus be relevant beyond this particular case.