weMEN Club Junior

weMEN Club Junior

The "weMEN Club Junior" seeks to engage young boys in promoting gender equality and addressing gender-based discrimination and violence. Initially launched in six schools within Lalitpur Metropolitan City (LMC) in 2021, the program has expanded to 12 schools in its second phase, now also reaching two municipalities—Mahalaxmi and Godawari.

Each participating school forms a club consisting of 12-15 male members, all under the age of 18, who take part in weekly sessions led by trained facilitators on various issues related to men and masculinities, boyhood, and gender equality. In addition to empowering the young male participants, the program also focuses on educating and engaging parents and teachers, helping them recognize the effects of gender socialization and fostering their role as allies in the fight against Gender-Based Violence (GBV). 

The objectives of this project are:

  • Encourage young boys to advocate for gender equality by conducting a series of discussions with them on gender roles, gender-based discrimination and violence, the existing definition of boyhood, and issues around gender.
  • Empower parents and teachers to recognize gender socialization.
  • Build allies of organization to advocate on ending violence against boys.
  • Create campaigns that support dignified space for girls, women and LGBTIAQ+ children.

Under weMEN Club, we have another Project that is a youth-centered initiative to engage teenage girls and boys in addressing gender-based discrimination, preventing violence, and promoting Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR). The project also fosters healthy relationships by raising awareness of dating violence and equipping young people with the knowledge and skills to advocate for gender equality.

The project was implemented in six schools within Lalitpur Metropolitan City (LMC) and Godawari Municipality, with each school hosting 25 to 30 participants. Expert resource persons facilitated six interactive sessions, each lasting two hours, covering key topics such as SRHR, gender-based violence, the "Let’s Love the Love" campaign, and an art workshop. These sessions encouraged students to engage in meaningful discussions and critical reflections on gender roles, discrimination, and violence, fostering a more inclusive mindset among young individuals.

Objectives

  • Empower teenage youth to become advocates for gender equality through a series of structured discussions on gender based violence and forms of violence.
  • Encourage teenagers to foster healthy relationships, informed consent and aware of dating violence.
  • Encourage young men and boys to take an active role in promoting gender equality.
  • Equip students with comprehensive knowledge of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR).
  • Facilitate campaigns that promote dignified and inclusive spaces for girls, women, and LGBTQIA+ individuals.

As part of this Project, the following activities were conducted:

  • Sessions on Gender-Based Violence and Gender Equality were conducted to engage discussions on the role of youth in addressing gender-based violence.
  • Workshops on SRHR was conducted to provide students with essential information about sexual and reproductive health and rights.
  • Artivism: Art was utilized as a powerful tool to encourage participants to engage in creative expression and promote them to reflect on gender equality and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR).
  • "Let’s Love the Love" Campaign: Encouraging discussions on healthy relationships, consent, and inclusivity.