Violence against women and girls (VAWG) impacts individuals, communities, and societies around the world. Recent data shows 35% of women worldwide have experienced VAWG in their lifetime, either through intimate partner violence or non-partner violence (WHO, 2013).

While men commit these forms of violence, men are not born inherently violent toward women and girls, and not all men commit violence. Men learn to be violent - and to remain silent in the face of other men's violence - through the culture of male authority and female obedience. This harmful messaging is reinforced through everyday norms at home, in the community, and in society at large.

To prevent men's violence against women and girls, we need to identify cultural messages and understand their impact on men’s behavior, and take a systematic approach to get men more involved in preventing violence against women and girls.

We strongly feel that our Enabling Men Through Accountable Practices (EMAP) programme can bridge this gap.

EMAP is a 1-year intervention prevention program created by the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and guided by the voices of women. EMAP provides staff in humanitarian settings with an evidence-based curriculum and field-tested approach for engaging men in transformative behavioral changes. The programme is not intended to be a stand-alone intervention; rather, it includes organizational efforts to address violence against women and girls.

The EMAP Implementation Plan:

EMAP Facilitators are selected from refugee communities and are trained and supported to conduct facilitation with member of their own communities. 

The positive changes brought about by EMAP to individual participants creates a ripple effect extended to the community. The programme will provide communities with a more sustainable approach to ending violence against women and girls.

Utilization of Funds Raised:

Through EMAP, we hope to see more men become allies and support women to achieve their full potential.

Here's how you can help men build a safe and harmonious community for refugee women and girls. We need support to bridge gaps in funding to ease the burden of the women who turn to us for support and solutions against gender-based violence. Our goal is to cover costs for:

• Training EMAP Programme Facilitators
• Providing the Facilitators with a monthly stipend to support their livelihood in exchange for their service.
• Programme implementation costs (transportation, Internet data, communication, capacity building and administration).
• Technology updates for dissemination of progress and learning on EMAP to the public.

Project Outcomes (depending on total funds raised):

By the end of 12 months, the project would have achieved:

• 16 EMAP Facilitators trained.
• 120 community members empowered as EMAP champions.
• 3 online learning materials on EMAP published for public access.
• 4 capacity building workshops on mental health for men and boys organized for refugee communities.

Please help our men contribute to the betterment of their communities by making a donation to the EMAP programme today. Thank you!