Promundo names Malala's father Ziauddin Yousafzai #FutureofManhood honouree
He said none of the negative traits that a person has is there from birth; they are, in fact, learnt behaviour.
April 25, 2018
WASHINGTON: Ziauddin Yousufzai, the co-founder of Malala Fund, was named Promundo's #FutureofManhood honouree during a ceremony Tuesday night, alongside other notables such as Canadian premier Justin Trudeau, filmmaker Jennifer Siebel Newsom, and the United Nations' Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka.
In an event held here in Washington and broadcast live on Facebook, Ziauddin emphasised that it was "just as important to educate daughters as it is to educate sons".
Malala's father stressed how extremely happy he was with his daughter's "perseverance" in becoming "one of the most prominent activists for women".
According to Promundo-US, the movement comes in tandem with the #MeToo and #TimesUp era, wherein it honours those who have worked to inspire men to action.
"The #FutureofManhood means being brave enough to move beyond either guilt or denial or apathy to a place of action. The future of manhood speaks out and takes action for equality.
"It's a future in which we explore and respect our common humanity," a post on Promundo-US' Facebook said.
The event focused on ways to instil courage in men to come forward and voice their support for women and discuss the toxic masculinity that negatively impacts everyone regardless of their gender.
In this regard, he noted that men "feel ashamed" to talk about such matters in public.
"They still don't come out of the social taboos … Social harmful taboos in the community" that are very toxic for everyone.
This, he said, was what is needed to be fixed in order to help encourage men to speak up and be more vocal about women's empowerment.
Mlambo-Ngcuka, the Executive Director of UN Women, said constant efforts are required to help men take a stand on gender equality. "Help them take an action towards a better world for both men and women," she said.
The same viewpoint was echoed by Siebel Newsom, who said that the same patriarchal notions that men abide by and the 'bro code' they follow end up becoming what "harms them very much".
Ziauddin then explained the behaviours that children are taught right from the start — when they learn to talk.
"In the beginning," he said, "the first person to come across you is you."
"For example, there are two Ziauddins. One Ziauddin is the person who learnt patriarchy."
This includes everything that the society teaches a person, including positive aspects but the negative ones too, such as hate, bigotry, and racism.
None of the negative traits that a person has is there from birth; they are, in fact, learnt behaviour.
The "other Ziauddin," he went on, was the one who makes conscious effort to unlearn toxic behaviours and be more humane and "compassionate".
"Man has not learnt to be free and educated," but he does so growing up, should he choose the right path. "It is kind of a struggle in the beginning."
He then related a personal anecdote.
"I once asked my wife: 'Why are men so scared of empowerment and equality?'"
"She said it was because men fear that empowered women would mean they'll lose power."
Apart from Trudeau, Siebel Newsom, and Mlambo-Ngcuka, other honourees comprised Venezuelan transgender activist Tamara Adrián, Washington DC Councilmember David Grosso, Icelandic ambassador Geir Haarde, and Center for Urban Families founder and CEO Joseph Jones.
