Through out Eyes: Engaging Men and Boys in West Africa

Objectives: ARC International and Communication for Change (C4C) collaborated on a community-based media project designed to help prevent gender-based violence (GBV) in conflict-affected communities in West Africa. This initiative works to engage men and boys as partners in the process of producing local-language videotapes on various aspects of GBV.

Methods: Local men and women produce videos and promote local screenings which are followed by discussion sessions, during which community members share experiences and gain information about available services.

Results/Recommendations: Participatory communication has proven to be a powerful tool in promoting dialogue and building consensus among all members of the community. The process has demonstrated that participatory video activities can initiate a dynamic process of engagement and dialogue between men and women on local issues, including the highly sensitive topic of GBV.

Conclusions: Participatory video is easily incorporated into existing GBV prevention and response activities. It has proven to be a strong mechanism of empowerment and engaging men. Video is a highly effective tool for awareness-raising, promoting community dialogue, and encouraging the reporting of incidents — all of which ultimately contribute to improving survivors' access to services. ARC and C4C plan to continue the implementation of this project in South Sudan and Thailand this year.