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feel marginalized and disempowered when,
for example, owing to the globalization
process, they do not, in the same way as before,
inherit work from their fathers and dominant
positions in the family and in society These
reactions might lead to domestic violence,
violence in schools or in the street, adherence
to extremist gangs and sects, or wanting to
join institutions which may use force, such
as the police and the military. Some groups
of men can become risk factors, both to
themselves and to society at large.

Many men suffer from the straight jacket
that hegemonic, outdated and toxic
masculinity models impose on them with
their insistence on expectations to be the
breadwinner, “over-decisive”, forceful, non-
emotional, aggressive etc. Given the existing
gender imbalances, it is important that men,
who to a large extent remain the power
brokers, participate actively in developing
equal partnerships and reducing the use of
violence and force.

Q: You have been involved in the Peace Research Institute/SIPRI]. Eight days
International Peace Bureau. These days, of world military expenditure would be
there is a war going on right here in Europe, enough to provide 12 years of free quality
and we wonder why we do not see huge education to all the children of the world!
peace demonstrations, and a very active It seems obvious that without a serious
civil society. What has happened? reduction in military spending, it will not be
The International Peace Bureau is the oldest, possible to implement either the Sustainable
functioning, international peace organisation Development Goals or the Paris agreement
with member organizations and individual on climate. Disarm to Develop, remains an
members in more than 70 countries. It was important IPB goal.
founded in 1891 to coordinate the work of
the world’s national peace associations. The Neither the IPB nor other international
IPB has as its long-term goal a world without peace organisations are inactive in the
war. The IPB got the Nobel Peace Prize back present situation with war also in Europe.
in 1910, and 13 of its leaders have gotten the The Covid-19 pandemic has, however, to a
prize in their personal capacity. However, large extent kept people out of the streets.
much work remains to be done! Discussions, manifestations and networking
have been channelled through social media
The IPB has constantly been questioning and webinars, as well as through messages
priorities based on might and force and has and letters to the United Nations and to
for several years called for regular annual the warring parties with suggestions for
reallocations from the military budgets of all diplomatic solutions to the conflict. The
states, concretized for example in appeals to space left for freedom of expression has been
countries to reduce their military spending seriously limited by the war in Ukraine,
by 10% per year over the 15 years of the which has brought us back to the black and
United Nations Agenda for Sustainable white thinking of George W. Bush when he
Development (2016-2030). Today, the world proclaimed in relation to “the war against
spends more than 2 trillion dollars a year on terror”: “You are either with us or with the
the military, which is more than 600 yearly, terrorists.” It is not obvious either how to
regular United Nations budgets. [See yearly effectively fight fake news and propaganda.
reports of the Stockholm International We need in any case to stop looking at “the

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