Promoting positive masculinities, attitude and behavior change through education, dialogue and civil society capacity building - AEGIS TRUST Promouvoir les masculinités positives, les changements d'attitude et de comportement par l'éducation, le dialogue et le renforcement des capacités de la société civile - AEGIS TRUST Deeply engrained social norms and values about masculinity and femininity influence the way people behave and how they judge and treat one another, in ways which impede gender equality and are harmful to the wellbeing of women and men. Therefore, both women and men (and girls and boys) must be engaged and experience a change in attitudes, values and behaviours for a positive transformation to occur. The Aegis Trust and The Centre for Gender Studies (CGS) at the University of Rwanda have partnered to embed transformative approaches to gender within public institutions and civil society organisations, in order to influence wider positive attitudinal and behavioural change. After over a decade of engagement and consultation with young men and boys who, due to a range of conditions, are ‘high risk’ in engaging in communal and intrafamilial violence, Aegis has developed a deep, culturally-rooted understanding of toxic masculinity in Rwandan society and the urgent need to bring men on board in efforts to promote women’s rights and leadership. The project aims to achieve two measurable goals: Firstly, to engage men and boys as allies to women and girls in fighting gender-based violence and discrimination and promoting attitudes and practices that build gender equality in homes, schools, workplaces, places of worship and other community spaces; and
secondly, to transform popular gender norms to support more positive masculinities and greater tolerance for gender diversity. Though this second impact is a means to achieving the first, it in itself a positive measurable end goal. • Impact One: Traditional gender norms have been challenged and men and boys show increased support for more positive masculinities and greater tolerance for gender diversity (men who do not conform).
• Impact Two: Both genders display increased understanding and empathy for the challenges faced by the other, including greater recognition of unpaid care and domestic work largely performed by women, and a commitment to better share responsibilities within the household.
• Impact Three: men and women show more positive attitudes towards people who do not conform to gender stereotypes, (including those who identify as LGBTIQ+) and defend their inclusion.
• Impact Four: civil-society organisations that support these goals, and institutions which influence gender norms (such as schools and churches) have increased capacity (knowledge, tools, resources) and are actively engaged in promoting greater gender equality.
 -  Traditional gender norms have been challenged and men and boys show increased support for more positive masculinities and greater tolerance for gender diversity (men who do not conform).
-  Both genders display increased understanding and empathy for the challenges faced by the other, including greater recognition of unpaid care and domestic work largely performed by women, and a commitment to better share responsibilities within the household
-  men and women show more positive attitudes towards people who do not conform to gender stereotypes, (including those who identify as LGBTIQ+) and defend their inclusion
- civil-society organisations that support these goals, and institutions which influence gender norms (such as schools and churches) have increased capacity (knowledge, tools, resources) and are actively engaged in promoting 
greater gender equality. The boundary partners the project will directly engage are given below. In all cases there will be gender balance, as the aim is to foster dialogue and collaboration between men, women, boys and girls. 
(1) 20 national level civil society and government organisations representing the interests of women, men, youth and LGBTQ+ communities. 
(2) 100 ‘Gender Champions’ in one hundred large businesses and organisations.
(3) 200 local-level ‘faith leaders’ (40 near each of Aegis’ 5 Community Peace Centres spread across the country).
(4) 2000 parents (40 per school, at 10 schools surrounding each of 5 CPCs) 
(5) 300 local activists in 15 community organisations (one men’s, one women’s and one youth group per CPC).