Workshop on Masculinities and Political Discourse in Pakistan
Following the successful pilot of the Men, Boys, and Masculinities course earlier this year, the GRÓ Gender Equality Studies and Training (GEST) programme is proud to see new and exciting initiatives emerging from its alumni network in Pakistan.
On 27 May 2025, graduates of the course co-led a thought-provoking stakeholder and advocacy workshop in at the Aga Khan University, Karachi campus, deepening the programme’s reach and fostering local ownership of gender-transformative education.
The workshop was co-facilitated by Dr. Huma Ghaffar and Alyza Karim—graduates of the January 2025 hybrid course—together with Sarmad Soomar, who co-organised the pilot course with GRÓ GEST. Designed as a critical space for dialogue and reflection, the event brought together a diverse group of participants from civil society, healthcare, education, media, and community-based organisations. The goal was to interrogate how masculinities are expressed, resisted, and politicised within Pakistan’s shifting social and political landscape.
Anchored in Judith Butler’s theory of gender performativity, the workshop explored how gender is enacted in everyday life and how performances of masculinity are shaped by conflict, nationalism, and media narratives. Participants engaged in dynamic discussions on the relationship between gender roles and power, with a focus on how dominant scripts of masculinity can either uphold or challenge systems of inequality. Particular attention was given to the often-overlooked impact of war and political instability on the construction of male identity in both public and private life.
This follow-up event exemplifies the transformative potential of GRÓ GEST’s localized and hybrid educational model. The original Men, Boys, and Masculinities course—delivered through a blend of online learning on the edX platform and in-person sessions across Karachi—was met with overwhelming enthusiasm, drawing 139 applicants for just 17 seats. Rooted in feminist and intersectional approaches, the course equipped learners with the tools to critically examine the social construction of masculinities and to foster gender-equitable thinking within their communities and professions.
As demonstrated by the recent workshop, the course has already begun to ripple outward, with alumni taking initiative to apply their learning in practice and to spark broader conversations around gender justice and male engagement. The workshop served not only as an extension of the course’s pedagogical aims but also as a call to action: to mainstream gender-transformative approaches across sectors, and to reclaim complex, often-politicised discussions about masculinity as central to peace-building and inclusive development.
GRÓ GEST celebrates this growing momentum and commends Sarmad Soomar and the course alumni for their leadership, vision, and commitment to community-based advocacy. Together, they continue to demonstrate that meaningful change begins with informed dialogue—and that education, when rooted in local realities and sustained partnerships, can catalyze real societal transformation.