Masculinities and shared responsibility for the care of children: lessons from inclusive pedagogy in Guatemala and Honduras

In rural communities in Guatemala and Honduras, a quiet transformation is taking shape in early childhood education: more men are now engaging in the care, upbringing, and education of children. In contexts where care has historically been feminised, opening these spaces to men represents a profound shift. When men become involved, responsibilities are not only redistributed: the ways in which people live together, raise their children, and imagine the future are also transformed. 

This change is no accident. It stems partly from participation in the project “Inclusive pedagogy with a gender perspective for community-based early childhood education in Guatemala and Honduras”, promoted by the Latin American Campaign for the Right to Education (CLADE), the World Organisation for Early Childhood Education (OMEP), the Education for All Collective of Guatemala, and Foro Dakar Honduras.

Supported by GPE KIX (the Global Partnership for Education Knowledge and Innovation Exchange), the initiative seeks to generate evidence and strengthen a community-based, inclusive pedagogical model that integrates the curriculum, participatory methodologies, teacher training, and the active participation of educational communities. Work on masculinities – the diverse ways societies define what it means to “be a man,” which shift according to context, culture, and historical moment – is central to transforming not only education but also everyday gender relations.

In this project, addressing masculinities means involving men in care, challenging traditional gender norms, and promoting their participation in early childhood education.

One key lesson has been how best to engage men in the community. Experience shows that the most effective approach has not been theoretical discourse on gender equality but acknowledging men’s roles in family and community life.

Talking about parenting and family well-being has opened up warmer and less confrontational conversations. From there, men have reflected on their own experiences, questioned traditional expectations, and explored new forms of participation.

Dialogic gatherings (open, egalitarian discussions) and community exchange spaces have been central to this work. Based on the dialogic learning approach underpinning the project’s pedagogical model, these encounters have built trust and prompted collective reflection. Rather than imposing change, the focus has remained on the exchange of experiences and mutual recognition.

The project has shown that community-based educational spaces are particularly valuable for this work on masculinities. In communities in Alta Verapaz, Guatemala, and in municipalities such as Danlí and Yuscarán, Honduras, the project has worked directly with teachers, families, community leaders, and children.

Early childhood education centres have served as meeting points, but the process extends beyond the classroom. Community workshops, school meetings, play-based activities, and participatory action research spaces have enabled members of the community to reflect on gender and care. 

This community-based approach recognises that early childhood education does not occur only in formal institutions, but also in everyday life. Integrating men into these spaces has been crucial for achieving a more concrete form of shared responsibility in care.

Additionally, the use of participatory methodologies, such as interviews, expressive activities and dialogue circles, has helped develop situated knowledge, with the voices of communities at its core.

This work is not limited to adults. It also means working with boys from early childhood to expand their sense of identity and shift how they express their feelings.

Through play, creative activities and everyday interaction, boys are encouraged to develop skills linked to care, empathy, and emotional expression. This means challenging traditional roles that associate masculinity with toughness or emotional detachment while creating space for more diverse and human ways of constructing identity. 

This early work is essential: it establishes new points of reference before stereotypes become entrenched. From this perspective, inclusive education with a gender perspective becomes a powerful tool for reshaping social imaginaries from early childhood onwards. 

These shifts in childcare and gender norms during early childhood can also foster more equitable relationships and behaviours among boys as they enter school.

Men’s reactions to this process have varied. In some cases, especially among older generations, adopting a more active role in care can be difficult because of deeply rooted cultural norms.

However, there have also been significant changes. In a number of spaces, men have shown an interest in participating, sharing their experiences and questioning traditional practices. Safe, non-judgemental spaces have been crucial in fostering this openness.

Overall, communities have responded positively. Families have shown a willingness to engage in dialogue and participate actively in proposals aimed at improving children’s education and wellbeing. This involvement is essential to sustaining change over time.

The experience offers a clear lesson: inclusive education depends on the transformation of gender relations, which necessarily includes involving men in care.

While involving men remains a challenge, progress is possible when work is grounded in concrete practices and community spaces. Through this process, early childhood can become the starting point for building fairer, more inclusive communities based on shared responsibility.

Through the coordination of CLADE, OMEP, the Education for All Collective of Guatemala, and Foro Dakar Honduras, this experience shows that it is possible to build educational models that integrate gender equality into everyday practice through dialogue, participation, and recognition of communities.