The 28th Foreign Correspondent Report

Men as Change Agents to Eradicate Violence Against Women:
Building New Masculinities in Peru
Carmen LEDESMA (Peru)
In my country, Peru, until December 31 (2018) this year, 149 women lost their lives
and more than 304 suffered attempted femicide. However, those who survived thefemicide attacks now suffer the effects and consequences of the violence inflicted by theirhusbands, boyfriends, partners or ex-partners.
The figures show us that our society is still influenced by machismo, a conception thatjustifies and reproduces the family and sexual violence we are witnessing and constitutes
a risk to the well-being and lives of women. This machismo is based on the constructionof an aggressive, dominant and totalitarian pattern of masculinity.
It is necessary to change this culture that naturalizes gender violence and considers
women as responsible for the violence they suffer, and hence place importance onbuilding new masculinities, questioning traditional gender roles and deconstructing theconcept of a ‘macho man’.
In Peru, based on the WHO Multi-Country Study (2000) on intimate partner violence
and women's health, we started to study and find good practices in the region in order toapply something similar in the country. Following the results of the study, we identified
one practice in Mexico－PHRSV.
“The Program of Men Who Renounce Their Violence (PHRSV)” was introduced in
Peru through the academic sector, which took it from the model of CORIAC(the Men's Collective for Egalitarian Relationships) in Mexico. This program wasexecuted with enough success.
“Listen, Men. Learn to Live Without Violence” was created in 2004 by theMunicipality of Lima as a result of efforts by the Private University Cayetano Heredia(UPCH) to transfer the methodology of PHRSV for working with men on violence against
women. The work developed in this program was through awareness-raising workshops
for the armed and police forces, local and regional governments, development NGOs andcommunity organizations.
“Program H” In 2009 the adaptation of this program began in Peru, made up of therepresentatives of the Ministry of Health, NGOs and youth organizations. From 2010 to2012, this adaptation was implemented in other regions (Ucayali and Ayacucho) andeducational and prevention campaigns have been carried out, strengthening the capacityof teachers for working with men on health issues. "Training Manual for Local Leaderson Masculinities and Prevention of Gender-Based Violence" was developed, as a tool to
train men who have a leadership position in their communities.
Ministry of Women and Vulnerable Populations (MIMP) has established as aninstitutional priority a strategy for male involvement, as part of public policies aimed ateradicating violence against women. Since 2013, it promotes the formation of collectivesof males for the prevention of violence against women, identifying male leaders between
18 and 60 years of age in communities. They are trained to participate actively andvisibly in efforts for the prevention of violence against women in places such as schools,universities, local governments, among others.

The 28th Foreign Correspondent Report“Only for Men” is a communication strategy that seeks to sensitize the malepopulation about the impact of violence on families and society, and the importance ofpromoting new masculinities and democratic relationships within families.
"The Men of Wednesday” began to be executed in December 2017, and works withmen who are immersed in a circle of violence. Implemented in several cities (San Martín,Piura, Junín and Lima), this program is expected to train 85,000 people nationwide. It
also works with men in the process of criminal trials for violence against women, giving
them therapy three times a week.
"Among Pairs" is another men's collective formed in May 2018 as a space for reflection,in which men participate voluntarily to discuss non-violent alternatives to resolve
conflicts typical of family life. It has been applied in more than four regions and six
districts.
Achieving changes in men with ancestry in their communities generates amultiplying effect, as well as alliances with civil society and other sectors of the state,
ensuring that the proposal is part of a more comprehensive strategy such as public
policies against gender violence.

“Among Pairs”

Men winning with the change“Men for Equality”

WorkshopThe 28th Foreign Correspondent Report“The Men of Wednesday”

Training Manual for Local Leadersin Masculinities and Prevention of
Gender-Based ViolenceCampaign poster