The displacement and breakdown of social structures that are results of flight from war and conflict challenge traditional gender relations, social norms and ties, making refugees vulnerable to further violence and discrimination. Studies show that displaced women and girls have faced multiple forms of violence as a result of conflict, persecution and displacement. Additionally, men and boys suffer violence in countries of crisis and asylum, especially at the hands of men. FOMEN, therefore, deals with the issue of how these experiences collide with gender norms, with a strong focus on diverse concepts of masculinity.
FOMEN focuses on innovative approaches to preventing gender-based violence among male migrants. The project runs from September 2019 until December 2021, based in 6 EU countries. FOMEN develops quality standards for violence-prevention programmes based on the work with male refugees and migrants, involving experts in workshops, and works with both primary and secondary prevention methods. National capacity building trainings with professionals experienced in gender/masculinity, migration/intercultural education and violence prevention, provide professionals with knowledge and the chance to discuss approaches and to highlight the most critical needs, while education workshops provide refugees and migrants with insights on gender issues and national awareness events sensitize wider audiences. National and transnational reports, educational curricula, toolkits and quality manuals provide research and analysis.
