Unpacking critical masculinities and intersectionality to inform Sexual and Gender-Based Violence programmes : Envisioning an enhanced men-inclusive approach (the men's lens) through humanitarian actors in the current Syrian refugee crisis in Lebanon

Abstract: Sexual and Gender-Based Violence constitutes one of the major protection concerns in displacement settings, being the current Syrian crisis in Lebanon no exception. This has led international and Lebanese humanitarian actors to design and implement prevention and response programmes country-wide to ensure the protection of persons of concern. Yet, gender-related programmes seem to maintain a traditional approach which focuses disproportionately on women and girls. As for SGBV programmes, while women and girls do constitute the bulk of SGBV survivors, such traditional approach overlooks the need of other groups concerned by any gender and SGBV-related interventions. This holds especially true to men and boys, whose engagement in SGBV programming is still conceived in silos, usually included in prevention programmes in their role as perpetrators. Working with men and boys survivors is not widespread and there is no consistent attempt to involve men across all stages in programmes. With no aim to compromise the much needed interventions with women and girls, this Master’s thesis aims at exploring an enhanced men-inclusive approach to SGBV programmes through the exploration of a tool called the men’s lens. By analyzing how Syrian refugee men’s own masculinities and manhood and their linkages to their social positioning influence the emergence of SGBV, this Master’s thesis explores the feasibility of such approach through interviews and a set of recommendations to humanitarian actors in Lebanon. As such, the thesis contributes to bringing together academia and the humanitarian realm, contextualising the men’s lens to the reality on the ground. This includes the adoption of a practical focus on the intertwinement between SGBV, masculinities and intersectionality among Syrian refugees in Lebanon, with the ultimate goal of contributing to improving current SGBV programmes in the Syria crisis.