Born in a rural community in Honduras, Denilson Mehujael is very clear about how gender differences shaped his and his sister’s childhood: While he was free to play as he pleased, she always had to be supervised and report her whereabouts.
“The simple fact of being a woman imposed other conditions on her, even when it came to having fun,” says the young man who is today the spokesperson for the New Masculinities campaign of the United Nations Development Program in Honduras. This experience, which for many people may be an everyday occurrence, is a reflection of the fact that structural gender inequalities are evident from early childhood and in most cases become systemic violence.
In Latin America, gender-based violence (GBV) is a critical and urgent issue. According to recent data, a woman is murdered every two hours based on her gender; between 2021 and 2024, more than 10,500 women were murdered because of their gender and 1 in 3 women has experienced physical or sexual violence throughout her life.
The root of this problem lies in the construction of hegemonic masculinities, those that associate men with power and domination, and as Ana Laura Cárdenas, gender-based violence and care specialist at Pro Mujer, says, “that association then generates inequalities that are exacerbated through violence and the subordination of women.” As defined by Tomás González Bergez, global gender and Gender Knowledge Lab manager at Pro Mujer, this model “responds to a belief system that places men as providers, protectors, and authority figures, excluding the possibility of them being emotionally vulnerable or equal in their relationships.”
The perpetuation of this model has devastating consequences. Ana Laura highlights how, through symbolic and cultural messages, boys are socialized to contain emotions and solve conflicts through violence. This creates a spiral that affects women as the main victims, but also men, who are trapped in a system that requires them to fulfill rigid roles.
“In adulthood, many men face emotional crises that can lead them to extreme behavior, such as suicide,” says Ana Laura. This pressure to conform to patriarchal standards has consequences that go beyond statistics, deeply impacting men’s mental health and well-being.
New Forms of Masculinity: A Transformative Alternative
Given this scenario, the concept of new masculinities emerges as a powerful tool to transform social dynamics and eradicate gender violence. These new forms do not seek to impose a single model of how to be a man, but rather to question the attitudes and behaviors that perpetuate inequalities and violence.
Denilson explains that adopting new forms of masculinity involves “validating the idea that men can live their emotions as human beings, unlearning processes that have been instilled in us all our lives, and thus breaking the cultural legacy of violence.” This approach promotes the rejection of violence as a tool of power and encourages dialogue, empathy, and co-responsibility in care roles.
Furthermore, as Tomás mentions, it allows men to free themselves from the emotional and social burdens imposed by traditional masculinity, opening the door to more equal and healthy relationships. “Recognizing our own violence and acting to change it is the first step toward a more just society,” he says.
Eradicating gender-based violence is a challenge that requires a collective effort. It is essential to initiate change from an early education, with a focus on equality and empathy, and to take the conversation out of the personal sphere. As Ana Laura points out, “Men must talk to other men and break the patriarchal pact (…) that idea of brotherhood that perpetuates violence by silencing it.” This change involves acting not only in private circles but also in political and social spaces, promoting policies that balance care responsibilities and foster equal opportunities.
In November, the month of the elimination of violence against women, Pro Mujer reaffirms its commitment to this cause. We invite you to listen to the episode from our podcast “Voces por la Igualdad” (Voices for Equality), in which we explore new forms of masculinity as a key tool to take down the structures of inequality and violence.
It is time to question, unlearn, and build more equal and humane relationships.
