Whats the work?

We don’t just ask what’s going wrong. We ask what shaped it - and how to change it.

At the Centre for Men and Boys, we work to transform how masculinities are understood, how boys and men are engaged, and how systems respond. Our approach is built on three interlinked pillars:

Research:

We build the knowledge architecture to move beyond assumptions.

There is growing concern around boys and men—but little coordinated knowledge to act on. We begin by surfacing what already exists, identifying what’s missing, and making sense of the systems that shape male experience today.

We map the current landscape—data, programs, lived experience, and cultural narratives.
We surface invisible patterns: how institutions respond (or fail to), and how boys fall through the cracks.
We distill insights into thematic briefs that inform everything from education to public health to digital platforms.

This isn’t about fixing men. It’s about understanding the systems that shape them—and redesigning those systems with care, courage, and clarity.

Resource:

We translate knowledge into action—through a growing network of partners.

Understanding isn’t enough. To shift systems, insight must lead to action. That’s why we invest in and collaborate with organizations already building change on the ground.

We fund and support civil society actors who are developing frontline solutions for and with boys and men.
We co-create tools, curricula, campaigns, and media that translate evidence into influence—across institutions and platforms.
We turn lived experiences into practical resources for training, public engagement, and policy design.

Our aim is to build a shared ecosystem - not just of knowledge, but of practice. One where insights are activated, and actors are equipped to carry them forward.

Rally:

We convene the ecosystem - to move from insight to influence.

Transforming gender systems can’t be done in isolation. We create spaces where system actors, storytellers, researchers, and reformers come together - with intention.

We host roundtables on key turning points in boys’ lives - education, marriage, mental health, care work.
We curate workshops for practitioners with deep field experience to share insights and shape strategy.
We bridge grassroots wisdom with policy influence - ensuring that those closest to the issue are central to the solution.

Our convenings don’t just surface ideas. They move people—and institutions—toward shared action.

Our Immediate Priorities

Health and Mental Wellbeing

Men in India are significantly more likely to die by suicide and suffer from chronic illnesses—yet far less likely to seek timely care. We examine how masculine norms shape health behaviors and collaborate with health systems, workplaces, and storytellers to make care-seeking and emotional support accessible and acceptable.

Care and Connection

Men are expressing a growing desire for emotional connection—through fatherhood, friendships, and caregiving—but often lack the language, support, or legitimacy to do so. We explore men’s emotional lives and work with communities, media, and institutions to make care and connection visible, valued, and viable.

Masculinities and Technology

From gaming to influencer culture, technology is reshaping how men perform identity, build belonging, and negotiate power. We study evolving forms of digital masculinity and partner with platforms, creators, and communities to foster healthier, more inclusive online ecosystems.

Masculinities at the Margins: Caste, Queerness, and Identity

Dalit, Adivasi, queer, and trans men often navigate masculinity in ways that are shaped by exclusion, surveillance, and resistance. These experiences are largely absent from mainstream narratives—but deeply shaped by systems like caste, class, and heteronormativity.

We explore how masculinities are constructed and contested at the margins, and work with community partners and researchers to surface lived realities, challenge dominant frameworks, and reimagine what it means to belong.

Education, Livelihoods, and Life Transitions

Faced with pressure to earn, many boys—especially from low-income households—drop out of school early, limiting their future mobility. We study these transitions and work with educators, skilling initiatives, and youth networks to expand boys’ horizons and support their pathways into adulthood.

Masculinities and the Future of Work

Across gig and informal economies, men face rising precarity, identity strain, and pressure to constantly perform. We examine how masculine norms shape work choices and risks, and engage with platforms, policymakers, and worker networks to imagine more secure and dignified models of work.

Substance Use and Masculinity

Substance use among boys and young men in South Asia is a growing concern, with increasing rates of alcohol, drug, and inhalant use. These behaviors often serve as coping mechanisms for unaddressed mental health issues, societal pressures, and rigid masculine norms that discourage emotional vulnerability. We examine how these patterns are reinforced by structural factors such as stigma, limited access to support services, and cultural expectations