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Inequality between men and women is considered as the root of injustice experienced by women. This inequality is built upon the foundation of patriarchal culture which is supported by the system perpetuated by various agencies (media, religious institutions, family institutions, education institutions, and even the State). Hence the inequality between men and women OR often called gender inequality has become a social system in the society.

Injustices against women have raised awareness among women to create women’s liberation movement from all forms of injustice. Recently, the awareness of injustice against women has spread to groups who are considered to be the ones receiving the most privileges by the patriarchal culture. The men.

This imparted awareness occurs through various ways, whether from witnessing the sufferings of the women they love, due to working in women’s organization, or because of their interest in women’s studies. The awareness of these men also emerged from their reflections that patriarchal culture also brings negative impacts to men, that the construction of maleness (masculinity) presupposed by patriarchal culture has also spawned hierarchy among men.

Men realize that the hierarchy has caused injustice and oppression by men over other men. Male supporters of women’s liberation movement from gender inequality in Indonesia are so far still limited to individuals who are not in unison and has yet to become a solid movement group or network with a clear agenda to create gender equality, more specifically the agenda of prevention against gender based violence (GBV).

Efforts to establish the group as a movement that can provide more significant influence has been sought, but the solution for sustainability of the group as an important part of the movement has not been solved. As a result, the men’s movement for gender equality seems to act separately, reactionary, temporary, and unsustainable with no clear direction.

Therefore, creating groups or network as the means to men’s movement becomes necessary. Besides developing a clear direction of the movement, the groups or the network also serve to provide support in facing challenges that have been faced by male activists such as stigmatization from their own group which is the stigma of being a man who does not qualify as an ideal man, being regarded as a loser, or the stigma of men with a particular sexual orientation.

Forming groups and networking would also empower men’s movement for creating gender equality and prevention of gender-based violence, to have a dialogue with the women’s movement which is basically their birth mother, to avoid misunderstandings and to clarify the position of men’s movement in the context of women’s movement.

The clarity of men’s movement position in the context of the women’s movement becomes essential to build the trust from the women’s movement. As well as the sign for the men’s movement itself that their movement to create gender equality and prevention of gender-based violence is an integral part of the women’s movement, a supporting movement and will not take the political space that has been built by the women’s movement.

This post is also available in: Indonesia (Indonesian)