Men, Masculinities and Poverty in the UK (UK Poverty Resources)

Rising suicides among young men; educational under-achievement among boys; male detachment from the labour market - in the UK statistics such as these are regularly used to support the argument that men are ‘in crisis’. But the overall trends still show that women are the majority of those living in poverty (as they are internationally). While talk of a ‘crisis’ may be overdone, there are nevertheless real concerns regarding the position of some groups of men in the UK, especially those at the sharp end of economic and social change. In this context, to overlook what is happening to men has the potential to undermine attempts to improve gender relations. How men’s lives can and must be transformed so that they can work with women against poverty and for gender equality is the starting point of this report.

"Men, Masculinities, and Poverty" in the UK was commissioned by Oxfam’s UK Poverty Programme to explore how changing economic, social, and political circumstances are affecting gender relations. In his report, Sandy Ruxton draws upon both a detailed review of the relevant literature and the experience of a wide range of community-based groups across the UK, in particular those working in the fields of employment training, men’s health, gender-based violence, and fatherhood. He highlights the importance of using a coherent gender analysis to assess the nature, scope, and effectiveness of work with men which impacts on poverty and gender relations, and concludes with a series of recommendations for developing work with men in the UK in order to address poverty and gender inequality. The report is also intended to inform the development of Oxfam’s work internationally around the theme of men and masculinities.