MISSING PIECES - Inter-Parliamentary Union

THEME 4
entered a classroom and killed fourteen female students. The campaign—
of men speaking out against violence against women—is now active in over
40 countries worldwide. In 2005, a group of organisations came together
to form a global network to engage men and boys in gender equality and
violence reduction. ‘MenEngage’ seeks to assist the hundreds of mostly
small programmes working worldwide to engage boys and men in questioning
rigid and often violent views of manhood and, in the process,
improve the health and well-being of men, boys, women and girls. 26
Other programmes have been set up to promote employability and
employment for disadvantaged youth. The ‘Alliance for African Youth
Employment’ was launched in 2004 by the International Youth Foundation
with the US Agency for International Development (USAID), Nokia
and Lion’s Club. 27 This initiative will provide young people in rapidly
urbanising areas of South Africa, Malawi, Mozambique and Rwanda with
job training, career counselling, direct placement in internships and jobs,
and the skills to create their own businesses.
2. Women’s multiple roles
Although much of their work goes unrecognised, women play multiple
roles in situations of war and armed violence. Also, while women have
been largely excluded from formal security policy making, there are many
examples of women working at the local level to build peace, prevent
violence, and encourage disarmament all over the world. The US Million
Mom March 28 , the Israeli Women in Black 29 , the Sierra Leonean Mano
River Women’s Peace Network 30 , and the Bougainvillean Inter-Church
Women’s Forum are just a few examples.
I realized how dangerous it was to have a gun in my home [after
nearly pulling the trigger during a fight with her husband]. I hid it
in the house and told my husband it was stolen from my car. This
was before I heard about the Arms Exchange Programme – I heard
about the weapons exchange and decided to get rid of it once and for
all. Now I am not so scared. 31
In Brazil, by contrast, interviews with young women reveal how they
can facilitate men’s use of violence by hiding or transporting guns, drugs
and money, ferrying messages to criminals in prison, or acting as a lookout
for police or rival gangs. They also subscribe to the image that a guntoting
man is sexy and desirable: ‘Sometimes guys will even borrow guns,
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