Power to Youth: Engaging Men and Boys to Challenge FGM
In Kuria, Migori County, harmful gender norms and patriarchal decision-making continue to reinforce practices such as female genital mutilation, child marriage and other forms of sexual and gender-based violence. The project set out to design community-based and constructive male engagement interventions for adolescent boys and young men, with the aim of reducing and ultimately eliminating harmful practices within the Kuria community. The work focused on understanding the cultural drivers behind FGM and identifying ways men and boys could become active participants in changing those norms.
IDI's Role & Contribution
We supported the project across the research and design process, including field coordination, note-taking, synthesis of responses, facilitation of ideation sessions, prototyping and preparation of the workflow for research and design activities. We also helped organise findings into themes and translate field insights into priority opportunity areas and intervention concepts.
"Sustainable change requires engaging men and boys as part of the solution, not only as a target group. The research highlighted the influence of men and male elders in shaping community norms and decision-making. This made it important to create safe, structured spaces where different generations of men could reflect on masculinity, challenge harmful practices and engage in dialogue around gender equality and sexual and reproductive health and rights. Report PPT"
Our Approach
We applied a participatory, human-centred design process that combined stakeholder interviews, one-on-one conversations, focus group discussions, thematic synthesis, ideation, prototyping and user testing. The process engaged adolescent girls, young women, adolescent boys, young men, senior men, civil society actors and policymakers to ensure that the interventions reflected lived experience and community perspectives.
Outputs & Results
Measurable outcomes achieved through the programme's core activities.
Male engagement intervention models developed
Stakeholder groups engaged in the co-design process
Male user groups engaged in prototype testing
Project Outcome & Impact
The intervention models included a positive masculinity programme for adolescent boys, using school-based activities such as film screenings and debates, and structured community forums for young and senior men focused on social norms, gender equality and SRHR.