Equimundo

Wow. Just wow.

As WOW - Women of the World Founder Jude Kelly said, there really is no other word to describe yesterday's Boys and Men Festival in Rio.

From altinha lessons and passinho workshops to drumming, hair braiding, spoken word, art, music, and breathtaking performances by AVUÁ, the day was filled with joy, creativity, community, and hope.

Thank you to everyone who made the Boys and Men Festival such a powerful reminder of what becomes possible when we come together.

Wow. Just wow.

Last night at the Museum of Tomorrow in Rio de Janeiro, we opened the Boys & Men Festival with an evening of spoken word, music, performance, and storytelling that captured the spirit of the MenCare Changemaker Summit.

Artists and changemakers invited us to reflect, connect, and imagine a world shaped by caring masculinities, gender equality, and care as a foundation for social change.

The evening concluded with passinho, Rio’s homegrown dance style born in the favelas and shaped by influences from samba, funk, hip-hop, and more. Passinho is a powerful expression of creativity, joy, identity, and resistance, embodying the transformative potential of culture and community.

As we begin the days ahead, we are reminded that advancing gender equality is not only about policy and programs. It is also about stories, art, movement, and the spaces where people come together to imagine new possibilities.

The debate around Louis Theroux’s manosphere documentary has focused heavily on what was missing.

While a lot of the criticism is valid, this piece by Caroline Hayes, Senior Technical Specialist on Digital Strategies at Equimundo, and Sarah Sternberg, Global Director on Reimagining Masculinities at Movember takes a different view. It explores why those expectations may not align with how influence actually works in this space, and what the documentary gets right about engaging young men today.

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Why I’m Glad I Wasn’t in Louis Theroux’s Manosphere Documentary Caroline Hayes is the Senior Technical Specialist on Digital Strategies at Equimundo and Sarah Sternberg is the Global Director on Reimagining Masculinities at Movember.

Equimundo’s 2025 Impact Report is out now.

This year’s report reflects a collective effort across our global network and the many partners who continue to push this work forward. We are grateful to everyone who contributed their time, insight, and leadership.

Our work remains grounded in a simple but powerful idea. Engaging men and boys as allies is essential to advancing gender equality. Across more than 55 countries, we continue to promote caring forms of masculinity through research, programs, and partnerships that strengthen evidence based approaches and drive impact at scale.

At a time of increasing pushback against gender equality, this work is more urgent than ever. Together with partners around the world, we are working to shift norms, strengthen systems, and build more just and equitable societies.
We invite you to explore the full report and join us in advancing this work.

2025 Impact Report | Equimundo Explore Equimundo's impact in 2024 – from school-based interventions, media campaigns, and partnerships with global organizations.