Socially constructed norms have a significant impact on shaping our values and beliefs, behaviors and expectations, influencing our thoughts and understanding about our surroundings and the external world as well as the various aspects of life, including gender roles, cultural practices, and social hierarchies.
Unfortunately, most of these socially constructed norms favor men while putting more pressure and hurdles on the lives of girls and women and influence their lives negatively. These unwritten laws deprive their rights; limit their roles and participation in the social, political and economic aspects; and compelled them to fulfill merely household roles and act merely as mothers, wives and caretakers confined at home.
In fact, a number of efforts have been practiced to normalize the social norms, especially gender-based social norms, and minimize the negative impacts of the laws that cause unnecessary burdens on communities. However, most of the endeavors carried out targeting only women; but do not consider or recognize the roles men can play in closing gender based biases and improving the lives of women. As a result, bringing attitudinal change at the desired level among men is still challenging the efforts.
In actual fact, as part of this effort, a combination of legislative reforms, community engagement, education, and advocacy works have been carried out to raise the awareness of the community towards gender-based social norms and their undesirable impacts on young girls and women. Government agencies, civil society organizations and various agencies are working at the grassroots level to sensitize about social norms.
Off late, the Addis Ababa City Administration in collaboration with Care Ethiopia and Advancing Women Enterprise (AWE) organized events that manifest how social norm programs are useful in addressing the root causes of gender inequality, as well as the critical importance of men’s engagement in changing gender based norms.
The events were organized in five sub-cities and at the program held at the premises of Yeka Sub-City, 100 men members of the AWE and willingly partake in normalizing men engagement training held practical activities that showcases gender equality
Speaking on the occasion, Yeka Sub- City Women, Children and Social Affairs Office Head Mihret Argago said that gender inequality has been a big challenge in Ethiopia for several years. Particularly following the labels attached to women and restricting them to stay at home; women have been deprived from their rights. However, these days for the reason several women are educating and empowering themselves, it is possible to reduce the level of the problem though it is not completely eliminated. Men should help women by curbing the social and cultural impacts imposed on women, she added.
Sub-City’s Women, Children and Social Affairs Team Leader Mekdes Gashaw for her part said that it is high time to critically examine the challenges associated with socially constructed norms that have negative impacts on individuals and communities.
AWE has brought a meaningful and a practically proven skill set to reach young girls and women and is vital in improving their living standards, quality of life through promoting inclusivity, diversity, and equal opportunities. Societies can work towards creating more positive and empowering norms that benefit everyone.
At the same time, they have helped to normalize men’s engagements because the role of men is fundamental in households to make decisions on resources.
“So long as the problem is quite immense, we should work hard to reach out to those who are leading miserable lives,” she remarked.
According to her, individuals can play an important role in challenging and changing socially constructed norms that have negative impacts.
Care Ethiopia Women’s Economic Justice Strategic Program Head Misrach Mekonnen also said that Care Ethiopia has a number of projects on the ground that focus on women.
One of the projects is the Advancing Women Enterprise (AWE) project which focuses on increasing women’s access to financial and entrepreneurial tools and opportunities. It also has a gender transformative aspect aiming to change negative social norms.
According to her, as per the assessment made, empowering women will not make the project productive unless men are involved because men take the lion’s share in making decisions.
“We had trained one hundred men out of the three thousand AWE beneficiary members and organized a conference in a bid to create an awareness platform at the end of training towards norms based practical demonstrations.”
Ayisha Aregawi from Kolfe Sub City is one of AWE beneficiaries. She told to The Ethiopian Herald that she was considering all social norms as beneficial, because she used to grow through those practices, in her preconceived understanding men are not entitled to home chores; but women.
“My husband was not helpful and we were confronting day in and day out because we did not treat each other in the spirit of respect and dignity.”
Thanks to the project, after the training, he has brought attitudinal change and he is willing to participate in any kind of home chores; he is not ashamed of whatever anyone said at the back.”
According to her, he is engaged in producing locally-made shoes; and they are leading peaceful lives; discharge their responsibilities accordingly for the common purpose. They are grateful for Care Ethiopia and the offices working along with the project.
Muhdin Assefa, the other beneficiary for his part said that he abided by socially constructed norms and he was ashamed of violating the principles.
The Personal Advancement and Career Enhancement training were instrumental in making clear how the ingrained social norms are affecting our relations and communal life system. “Now, I am a man of solution not a complainer. I will keep on urging my fellow friends to break harmful, socially constructed gender norms and gender inequality,” he remarked.
The men, who received Personal Advancement and Career Enhancement training, have also shown practical demos by performing home chores like brewing coffee, changing diapers as well as other household tasks that were once said “women’s tasks.” in a more specialized and productive way. The core point of the demos was to let other fellow brothers and sisters better understand that socially constructed norms are not true.
BY MENGISTEAB TESHOME
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD THURSDAY 26 OCTOBER 2023
