Transforming masculinities through male advocacy in post-conflict Bougainville

Abstract

The Bougainville Crisis (1989–98), the Pacific region’s gravest conflict, inflicted deep socio-economic and political turmoil, leading to widespread casualties and displacement. A 2019 study on fourteen ‘Male Advocates’ in Bougainville, who were not combatants but bear the conflict’s scars, including substance abuse and violence, highlights their role in gender equality, peace, and human rights advocacy alongside women’s rights defenders. The Nazareth Centre for Rehabilitation’s Male Advocacy program is pivotal in transforming these men from the ‘Crisis generation’ into champions of peace and gender sensitivity, challenging traditional masculinity. This chapter explores their transformation and the crucial support of grassroots organisations in post-conflict recovery, emphasizing the program’s role in redefining masculinity and facilitating community healing in Bougainville.