Strengthening the Next Generation of Fathers in Egypt

June 16, 2006—Men and boys are critical partners in supporting girls’ education, improving family reproductive health and backing women’s increased decision-making roles in communities and nations.

In Egypt, CEDPA has worked with more than 17,000 young men and boys in the New Visions non-formal education program since 2001 to increase support for gender equality, improve knowledge of family health and strengthen the next generation of fathers.

Although most young males in Egypt are literate and have attended school, many know little about reproductive health and HIV/AIDS issues. For instance, at the beginning of the New Visions program in 2001, 36 percent of surveyed boys could not name one way that HIV is transmitted.

And in a country where domestic violence is a significant problem—one out of three married women have been abused, according to a national study—more than half the Egyptian boys interviewed in 2001 thought that a husband was justified in hitting his wife if she answers back.

By 2004, boys who had completed the New Visions program reported that they now knew of more than one way to transmit HIV and could name various contraceptive methods.

Also, the participants reported that they are now better able to cope with anger and stress. The number of boys who answered that it was acceptable if a husband hits his wife decreased to twenty-six percent.

Fourteen-year old Mahmoud Fadl Abd El Azeem gleaned more than he expected from the New Visions program. He initially joined out of curiosity, although at the time, he felt unmotivated. He felt little respect for girls and had a strained relationship with his family.

After attending several New Visions sessions, Mahmoud started rethinking his future. He has started saving to help finance his future education. He learned about women’s rights, and now believes that women and men are equals. Mahmoud was able to convince his parents and brother to allow his sister and sister-in-law to participate in CEDPA’s New Horizons non-formal education program for girls.

Read more about the New Visions program results and the training curriculum.

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