Engaging Men in Gender Equality at the OSCE - A Toolkit for OSCE Staff

Sep 20, 2026

Practical toolkit developed for OSCE staff to strengthen gender equality in the workplace through meaningful male engagement. It outlines who the toolkit is for, how it should be used, and sets out five structured steps to establish, manage, and scale Men for Gender Equality Groups at OSCE missions and field offices. Recommendations are drawn from findings of the WIN project research report and emphasize inclusive, long-term, process-driven group initiatives that avoid exclusionary male-only networks.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages11

Reading Time28 min

AccessFree to download

What is this toolkit?

Who is this toolkit for?

How should this toolkit be used?

The Premise

Why do groups need to be set up?

The Foundations

Crucial factors to consider

The Launch

Starting a group

Coordination and Participation

Laying down the framework

Activities

Steps to consider

What can OSCE men do?

Create more inclusive work cultures

Creating better leaders

Framing the discussion at the OSCE

Engaging Men in Gender Equality at the OSCE: A Toolkit for OSCE Staff WHAT IS THIS TOOLKIT? This practical toolkit was developed through the OSCE’s extra-budgetary project “WIN - Women and Men Innovating and Networking for Gender Equality”. It is based on secondary research and WHO IS THIS TOOLKIT FOR? This toolkit is for male OSCE staff of all roles who are interested in male engagement, wish to learn more about HOW SHOULD THIS TOOLKIT BE USED? a series of interviews with practitioners and subject matter experts. The toolkit aims to inspire and guide the OSCE staff at different executive structures in establishing Men for Gender Equality Groups which engage men in the organization to foster gender equality in the OSCE workplace. men’s role in advocating for gender equality, or speaking out against gender-related inequalities, or who would like to join or establish a Men for Gender Equality Group at any OSCE mission or field office. This toolkit is also for women, involved in women’s advocacy groups at the OSCE - such as the Working Group on Women and Gender Realities in the OSCE Region - who would like to learn more about how to get men more involved in their activities. The toolkit is designed to provide users with ideas to help members of the OSCE set up Men for Gender Equality Groups. The practical recommendations in this toolkit are based on the findings of a research report from the WIN project, entitled“Engaging Men in Gender Equality atthe OSCE”. The research identified a number of OSCE and civil society lessons learned and best practices which can be implemented in establishing, mobilizing and managing groups of OSCE staff to create more inclusive work environments. Neither this toolkit, nor the Men for Gender Equality groups they promote are intended to create or strengthen informal male-only platforms and networks, which are often exclusive and counterproductive to gender equality outcomes. Instead, throughout this toolkit, you’ll find practical ideas and strategies , organized into five key steps, to help you establish, manage and scale your Men for Gender Equality Group - from the reasoning to the actual management and activity implementation. 1 2 3 4 THE PREMISE: Why do groups need to be set up? THE FOUNDATIONS: Crucial factors to consider THE LAUNCH: Starting a group THE COORDINATION AND PARTICIPATION: Laying down the framework 5 ACTIVITIES: Steps to consider WHAT CAN OSCE MEN DO? Our understanding of gender and gender inequality is changing. In response, gender equality programming has also evolved significantly in recent years. All around the world, men are increasingly reflecting on their own roles, responsibilities and privileges, declaring themselves allies and taking action to ensure that women and girls are afforded the same opportunities as men and boys in every arena. At the OSCE, male colleagues can play their part by reflecting on their own privileges, opinions and prejudices, and the structural and social power structures which exist in various settings. Men can also act as role models or commit to using their positions of influence to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace, gender-based violence in homes and communities, to promote gender equality in everything they do at OSCE. By making visible the harmful effects of gender norms and structural inequalities, and by working together with feminist groups, men have the potential to play a vital role in achieving more equitable societies which, ultimately benefits everyone-men and women alike. ~~ ~~ THE PREMISE: Why set up a Men for Gender Equality Group at the OSCE? DO DON’T Creating more inclusive and bias-free work cultures Emphasize that gender equitable organizations retain talent, have higher employee satisfaction and increased efficiencies. Emphasize the OSCE’s important role in pursuing best practice, innovation and creating an inclusive workplace cult

FAQs

Who is the toolkit intended for at the OSCE?

It is for male OSCE staff across all roles who want to engage in gender equality, advocate for it, or join or establish a Men for Gender Equality Group. It is also for women involved in related advocacy groups who want to involve men in their activities.

What is the purpose of the toolkit?

The toolkit provides practical ideas and recommendations to help OSCE staff establish Men for Gender Equality Groups that engage men in the organization to foster gender equality at the OSCE workplace.

What principles guide how Men for Gender Equality Groups should be framed and used?

The toolkit stresses inclusive, long-term, process-driven initiatives and discourages exclusionary male-only platforms or token one-off events. It also emphasizes grounding discussions in OSCE Core Values and consulting relevant Gender Focal Points or Gender Advisors.

Sep 20, 2026

Upload by River Wang