Presenting conclusions of a research on ‘Locating men in women’s rights activism: launch of research study on masculinity,’ Maria Rashid, project manager at Rozan, has said that all men benefit from patriarchy, but their experience is different from each other, which was affected by respective cultural background in which they owned certain aspects and rejected others.

She was speaking at the launching of a study jointly conducted by Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) and Rozan. The ceremony was organised by SDPI here on Monday. SDPI Advocacy Officer Sadia Sharif conducted the proceedings.

Maria Rashid said that the team conducting the research found diversity after exploring the eight samples who moved to raise voice and help victims of violence whether men and women. She said: “We found it hard to define masculinity from their ordeal.” She said that data can be analysed from different angles. She said that the team let the data pour in and later analysed it. She said that masculinities is a complex unstable terrain. “Different types of violence existed in society including sexual one and victims felt threatened, but they did not express them as a victim of violence in their narrations,” she added.

She said that the study found relationships with fathers or male authority figures though later the participants described them as violent also without criticising them. She said that personal and political link is there but it did not affect their lives or work.

Yasmin Zaidi, a gender expert, said that the study is significant for offering life history approach than quantitative research though the male objects are a bit sensitised. Men go against depression, but it does not link with other systems of oppression like capitalism. She said that there is hierarchy even in masculinity.

Raziq Fahim said that masculinity is fluid, but retains the context with hierarchy. He said that ‘waderas’ generosity is false. He drew contrast between humanist and humanitarian treatment. He said that extending helping hand by the eight persons did not affect their interests adversely. Rather it gave them projection like in media, he said.

Saffiullah Khan also from Rozan said: “The word gender directs our attention to women whereas it also relates to men and there is need to work on it.” He admitted that perpetrators of violence are mostly men, but the society expects from men to do many things. He said that they are working on men who worked on sexual harassment against men, women, children and transgender in Pakistan. He said that methodology to conduct research was based on life history and the samples consisted of 5 graduate males who helped victims of violence or worked against the malice