Struggling to be a real man: Young people’s perspectives of gender inequality and gender-based violence

In our growing society, our parents cry from our hearts that men are strong, men are family donors, men do not cry, and feel pain.

Young people's research from the restless development of the Eastern Cape province has discovered that some pressure has been exerted on young people to meet certain criteria for masculinity. It may not be clear how this understanding relates to gender inequality and the spread of gender-based violence in society.

For example, dominant and strong expectations for men, and expectations for women's passive and obedient relationships in relationships can lead to intimate partner violence. Like a young woman said, "We think this is normal, he loves me when he hits me, we do not know that he should respect you Hmm"

Male pressure to become a financial services provider within human relationships and families can also lead to violence. In the face of the reality of poverty and unemployment, as one young man said, many young people feel the power and frustration they lost because they can not provide it:

Just as you can not fulfill your role as a man, you feel that you are useless. This could turn into violence. You are depressed, you feel the pressure, and you are being insulted very emotionally. Then when you go home - just a little, you will be aggressive

Women are primarily affected by gender-based violence, but it is still necessary to recognize that men may be undergoing emotional, sexual or physical abuse. Young people say that boys are often raped, but these behaviors are suppressed. Men are abused by women's partners, but this is not a reality. In general, it is difficult for men to talk about sexual abuse and other forms of abuse. Because attitude to men is strong and unreliable, it does not express pain or suffering. "The police think you can not be abused."

For young people who did not participate in traditional circumcision or had to go to the hospital during the ceremony due to injuries, infections or other medical problems there was a special form of gender based violence .

Men who are not traditionally circumcised are not considered "real men". He may be discriminated against by emotional and physical abuse. As a young woman explained, "You are excluded, I will neither drink with men nor eat with men." Essentially, this has little "whether to go to the mountain" That means that. Please select "" because not going is equal to social death

Efforts to deal with gender-based violence must support them in their challenge to become men engaging and engaging young men and women and perpetuating gender-based violence. You can see how organizations like Sonke Gender Justice and Restless Development to incorporate men and women and women and girls into their plans.

Listening to the voices of young people provides a hopeful perspective for young people to critically think about their roles as men and women and as agents to change the gender equality society.

Gender-based violence is rooted in gender inequality, beyond the social structure, gender norms and roles that exacerbate it and support and justify it. Gender-based violence endangers women, families, communities, and society. This is a human rights violation and is one of the most widely seen inequality based on gender. To eliminate violence against women, there is a challenge of unequal distribution of social, political and economic power between men and women, and how organizations of all levels of society can continue this inequality It is accompanied.

Gender-based violence is a phenomenon deeply rooted in gender inequality and is one of the most serious human rights violations in all societies. Gender-based violence is gender based violence against people. Both women and men experience gender-based violence, but the vast majority of victims are women and women. Gender-based violence and violence against women is often used interchangeably as men are widely recognized to cause the most gender-based violence against women and girls. However, as inequality in power between men and women highlights the fundamental causes of various forms of violence against women, the use of "based on sex" aspect is important. Throughout the work of EIGE these terms are used interchangeably to reflect the high proportion of specific crimes against women.