A/HRC/37/36 allowed men to share the aspirations of women and girls, recalibrating gender relations away from competition and towards collaboration, and allowed a shared understanding of gender equality. However, he cautioned on settling for paternalistic models of male partnership as an end goal, by which men saw themselves as the benefactors of women, creating opportunities for them. He noted that gender equality could not be achieved through naming and shaming strategies, but that incentives to challenge patriarchy needed to be created. 16. A youth activist at Curious Minds, Francis Oko Armah, shared his experiences of engaging young people, both boys and girls, through informal discussions. He pointed out that in such informal settings, young people were able to share their own experiences and beliefs of what constituted masculinity and femininity. He stressed that the beliefs of men and boys were formed in culture and upbringing, which taught boys to be “tough” and that women were “weak”. The prevalent gender stereotypes dictated in childhood presented distinct barriers to access to justice for girls, as violence was characterized as not deserving of punishment. Mr Oko Armah also emphasized that such gender stereotypes were internalized by women and men alike. He noted that it was important to engage with children from an early age in discussions on gender roles and in sexuality education at the community level. 17. The masculinities technical adviser at the ABAAD Resource Center for Gender Equality, Anthony Keedi, addressed the issue of gender-based violence in conflict settings and insecure environments. In such contexts, men learned dominance and violence towards women. Mr Keedi asserted that violence was not inherent in men but that the problem was what they were taught about masculinity, and that this could lead to an endless cycle of patriarchal violence. 18. Sharing his experiences in Lebanon, Mr Keedi mentioned training workshops with men to challenge concepts of masculinity and to discuss violence and loss with a view to exploring their emotions. He stated that the stress of conflict or insecure environments often manifested itself in violence, when men felt emasculated as refugees or unable to provide for their families, or felt the need to display dominance over their surroundings. He stressed that men in crisis zones needed to be taught to be agents of change, of peace and of gender equality. Turning men into agents of change, peace and gender equality was possible. It was important to stress that men’s value went far beyond providing for their families or showing strength, but resided in giving care, in parenting and showing every facet of life in society, thus eliminating the excuse of some men that they had to protect women by curtailing their independence. Working with women’s organizations was essential to learn from their experience and men needed to support women in power and leadership positions. D. Interventions by representatives of States and other observers 19. During the dialogue, delegates noted that violence against women and girls presented the most pervasive and widespread form of human rights abuse, occurring in both the public and private spheres. They acknowledged that the problem was exacerbated by intersecting forms of discrimination and required intersectional preventative solutions. 20. Delegates agreed that violence against women was rooted in gender inequality, power imbalances and discriminatory social norms that perpetuated unequal relations between men and women. Gender-based stereotypes of masculinity and femininity constricted women and negatively affected men, and were often the underlying cause of violence against women. Many stressed that breaking the cycle of violence required changing those social norms and reconstructing and expanding notions of masculinity. Some delegates also noted the links between gender inequality and harmful cultural practices, and stressed that changing attitudes and behaviour on gender was necessarily a long-term endeavour. 21. Delegates welcomed the emphasis on engaging men and boys in the struggle against gender-based violence and noted that men and boys constituted one of the most overlooked actors in the field. They acknowledged the importance of engaging with the widest possible range of stakeholders on the issue and the critical role of men as fathers was highlighted. 5