In Senegal, an unusual initiative is gaining popularity: “schools for husbands.” These informal courses take place in mosques and even in courtyards. Their aim is to change perceptions of a man's role in the family: from a strict head of the household to a caring partner. The project is supported by the UN, and teachers include respected community members, including imams.
They speak about equality, family support, reproductive health and family planning. The key idea is “positive masculinity”: a man can be both strong and attentive. Since 2011, more than 300 men in 20 localities have taken these courses. The program helps reduce maternal mortality by changing men's behavior, which directly affects the conditions in which women give birth and receive medical care. Now, after becoming better informed, they are learning not to be an obstacle, but to become support at the most important moment — when new life is being born.
Similar schools have already begun operating in Niger, Togo and Burkina Faso. The simple but powerful message of these lessons is that masculinity is expressed not through orders, but through participation and care.
