… is a global leader in advancing gender equality and preventing violence by engaging men and boys in partnership with women, girls, and individuals of all gender identities.

We believe that working with men and boys to transform harmful gender norms and unequal power dynamics is a critical part of the solution to achieving gender equality. For transformative, sustainable change, men and boys must see themselves as partners in the process. Men and boys also benefit when harmful norms are challenged.

Our research, programs, and advocacy efforts show that exploring positive models of “what it means to be a man” and promoting healthy, respectful masculinity leads to improvements in the lives of women and girls, as well as in men’s own lives, and the lives of individuals of all gender identities.

Mission

… works to advance gender equality and create a world free from violence by engaging men and boys in partnership with women, girls, and individuals of all gender identities.

Vision

We envision a world where all people work to create a nonviolent, caring, and gender-equitable future for themselves and for their children.

Our Name and Origin

… was founded in 1997 in Brazil with the belief that gender equality is a social “good” for the world, and that overcoming gender inequalities and patriarchy and advancing gender equality is necessary for women, men, and individuals of all gender identities. … was born out of a confluence of partner nongovernmental organizations and individual activists and researchers working across the fields of women’s rights, health equity, LGBTQIA+ activism, children’s rights, and the HIV and AIDS prevention movement in Brazil.

… emerged in a specific moment in a Global South setting – Brazil – that faced a history of colonization, ethnic-based oppression, homophobia, transphobia, women’s inequality, and two decades of military dictatorship. From its origins, Promundo carried a firm belief in Paulo Freire’s approach of consciousness-raising about global and local systems of inequality and oppression as well as a grounding in social justice and intersectionality.

… opened its doors in Washington, DC in 2011 to lead international and US work for engaging boys and men as allies in gender equality, building on the work of and in partnership with … in Brazil.  With …’s inception, …S’s global reach expanded around the world, with staff implementing projects or providing technical assistance in more than 25 countries. The Washington, DC, office also coordinates…’s partnerships and projects working with men and boys in the United States. … is a separately registered NGO and does not represent, speak on behalf of nor formally partner with … in Brazil.

Our Work

Our … initiatives HIGHLIGHT THAT WE SEEK TO BOOST MODEL SOLUTIONS AND THE HEROINES SINCE THAT IS UNIQUE + ALSO YOUTH + ALSO CITIZENS + PROFESSIONALS IN A WIN WIN informed and driven by evidence, strive to create change at multiple levels: in addition to working with individual men and women, we use campaigns and local activism to build community support, and we advocate with institutions and governments to adopt policies and scale up programs that reinforce personal and social change.

Our work creates safe spaces for men and women in post-conflict and high-violence settings to heal from trauma, for youth to question harmful gender norms, and for men around the world to discuss the benefits of involved fatherhood and shared decision-making, and the costs of violence and exploitation.

Our Impact

As of 2017, we have reached nearly 10 million individuals. This includes over 4,500 health professionals, over 22,000 education professionals, over 1,400 members of the police and military, and nearly 300 government officials.

Major organizations including the United Nations, World Bank, the World Health Organization, and national governments have supported our cause by working jointly on our initiatives or by adopting our programs and rolling them out in other communities around the world.

… is funded by national and local governments, foundations, bilateral and multilateral aid organizations, major nongovernmental agencies, and individual donations.