Gender norms, poverty and armed conflict in Cote D'Ivoire: engaging men in women's social and economic empowerment programming

Abstract

Engaging men is a critical component in efforts to reduce intimate partner violence (IPV). Little is known regarding men's perspectives of approaches that challenge inequitable gender norms, particularly in settings impacted by armed conflict. This article describes men's experiences with a women's empowerment program and highlights men's perceptions of gender norms, poverty and armed conflict, as they relate to achieving programmatic goals. Data are from 32 Ivorian men who participated in indepth interviews in 2012. Interviews were undertaken as part of an intervention that combined gender dialogue groups for both women and their male partners with women's only village savings and loans programs to reduce IPV against women. Findings suggested that in the context of armed conflict, traditional gender norms and economic stressors experienced by men challenged fulfillment of gender roles and threatened men's sense of masculinity. Men who participated in gender dialogue groups discussed their acceptance of programming and identified improvements in their relationships with their female partners. These men further discussed increased financial planning along with their partners, and attributed such increases to the intervention. Addressing men's perceptions of masculinity, poverty and armed conflict may be key components to reduce men's violence against women in conflict-affected settings.

Differential Impacts of an Intimate Partner Violence Prevention Program Based on Child Marriage Status in Rural Côte d'Ivoire

“…Among couples with high participation rates (attending >75% of GDG sessions), these reductions were magnified such that women in the combined arm had a 36% reduction in IPV, compared with the group savings–only arm [21]. Qualitative findings from male partners participating in the discussion groups highlighted improved couple communication and improvements in financial planning as potential pathways of change [23]. …”

What Factors Contribute to Intimate Partner Violence Against Women in Urban, Conflict-Affected Settings? Qualitative Findings from Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire

“…The Bclimate of financial insecurity^that rural Côte d'Ivoire experienced following the same conflict similarly impacted IPV in both settings. 21 In these contexts, and others, 22 stress and anxiety stemming from job loss and financial uncertainty were considered a major catalyst for men's perpetration of IPV. Specifically, focus group discussions emphasized that men perceived their inability to provide for the family-a traditionally male role-as a challenge to their masculinity and position as the head of household.…”

“…19 A man's loss of perceived status and entitlement as breadwinner and head of household can result in a reclamation of familial power and authority through violence. [20][21][22] Additionally, IPV can be accepted as a social norm in places where violence is a sanctioned form of conflict resolution and men are entitled to discipline their wives for perceived transgressions. 23 IPV is also of concern in these settings pre-conflict; however, these studies suggest that the public violence women face during war reinforces the private violence they face during and after.…”

Impact of a complex gender-transformative intervention on maternal and child health outcomes in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo: protocol of a longitudinal parallel mixed-methods study

“…However, in a male-dominated society, women's economic empowerment is not the sole factor to fight partner violence and can lead to resistance due to restrictive gender norms. Therefore, actions engaging men to support women's empowerment must be part of interventions that aim at strengthening women's economic participation [29][30][31] .…”