Unverified non-profit organisation

Established in 2005, Coexist has quickly established itself as a pioneer in promoting gender justice, human rights and conflict mitigation by targeting men and boys as its key clusters. Coexist has won numerous international awards and been selected by experts in the field as one of the most effective organization’s working to end violence against women and girls by addressing negative socialization processes, negative cultural practices, stereotypes and masculinities. Coexists work has also been selected by many UN agencies including UNHCR, UNAOC, UNESCO and Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) as examples of best practice and its materials translated into many languages across the world.

Awards to date
1. 2018 Global E-Innovation Award
2. UNESCO Madanjeet Singh 2018 Prize for Promotion of Tolerance and Non-Violence https://en.unesco.org/news/manon-barbeau-and-coexist-initiative-winners-2018-unesco-madanjeet-singh-prize
3. Egerton University Gender Award-2017
4. Global Inter-Cultural Innovation Award – 2016 in Baku (Azerbaijan)
5. Avon Global Communications Award – 2015 in USA
6. The European/Global Intercultural Achievement Award – 2014 in Vienna
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cnW0CwuIXE
7. Africans International Achievers Award – 2013 in London
8. UNHCR recognition for best Practice 2015 http://www.coexist.co.ke/files/GP_Kenya_ComParticipation_FINAL_DRAFT_Jan_15_2015.pdf
9. Kenyatta University shield of honor 2015
10. Commonwealth Anchor resource organization 2015

Innovation

We work closely with innovation partners who contribute unique, promising interventions linked to project’s objectives. Too often, initiatives seeking to achieve gender equality and girls’/women’s empowerment sideline the role of men or define their role in a narrow manner. We recognize that in order for our objectives to be reached, men and boys will need to be champions against all forms of violence against girls and women.

Our approach
We employ innovative, tested and integrated approaches that are simple, home-grown, participatory, holistic, and ones that reinforce existing work. Our thematic interventions are guided by research, training, synergy development, advocacy, tools development and extensive grassroots engagement. Our key revolve is to build competences, raise the levels of awareness, influence attitude/behavior change and objectively provide information.

We work with men, boys and communities by focusing on addressing attitudes that generate traditions of terror and encourage the use of violence as enshrined in patriarchy, negative masculinity and the entire negative socialization processes. We reverse the trend by targeting the men and boys and working with them to change negative attitudes, practices and beliefs that put women and girls at even greater risk and vulnerability. Our strength has been our fostering of active and meaningful involvement of the program beneficiaries.

Our approach and strategies have had the efficacy for escalating community receptivity to our programs by lessening resistance and for increasing the likelihood of community members taking an active role in the thematic focus area. We do this through a multiplicity of strategies including capacity building, advocacy, peer education, media programming, tools development, edu- entertainment and community forums

Website

http://www.coexist.co.ke

Year established

2005

Organisation annual cash turnover (in US$ equivalent)

Less than 500,000

Participant in relevant networks

Girls not Brides Intercultural Innovation Alumni Kenya National Men's Alliance for Gender Justice GBV Prevention Network Safe Date USA; Sexual Violence Research Initiative; National Centre on domestic and sexual violence USA; Return to Manhood program; Global Life Vision; A Call to Men; It’s Time Campaign; International Planned Parenthood Federation; Widowhood Foundation; National Centre on Domestic and Sexual Violence; Human Rights Centre (University of California Berkley).