Este texto pretende dar conta da emergência de um novo tipo de violência armada organizada (novíssimas guerras), que ocorre a uma escala cada vez mais micro mas se manifesta, tal como as novas guerras, a nível global. São duas as finalidades desta conceptualização: por um lado, tornar visíveis e “reais” contextos que têm sido considerados marginais, e que podem constituir o prelúdio de uma conflitualidade (ainda) mais disseminada no futuro; por outro lado, lançar o desafio de pensar e encontrar novos caminhos que respondam às inseguranças provocadas por este tipo de novíssima guerra.

O facto de serem homens os que mais matam e morrem em tempo de guerra declarada tem determinado a invisibilidade e negligência de outros actores envolvidos nestes contextos. As mulheres, em concreto, têm sido o ausente social por excelência nas análises sobre conflitos armados e nas políticas de reconstrução pós-conflito Através de uma abordagem que privilegia a análise de continuuns de violência(s) para além de cenários considerados como guerra oficial, e tendo por base os contextos angolano, guineense e moçambicano, pretende-se demonstrar a proximidade entre zonas de guerra e zonas de paz, nomeadamente no que diz respeito à existência de inseguranças que não são consideradas relevantes no desenho e implementação de políticas levadas a cabo no pós-guerra. Pretende-se, em particular, analisar as formas de violência exercidas contra mulheres nestes contextos.

Gender dimensions of violence, and especially women’s experiences in settings of urban violence have been the subject of important feminist research, including those that highlight gender as essential for comprehensive analyses of security and urban violence, and for promoting solutions and positive change. A primary contribution of feminist research indeed has been to demonstrate that there are both visible and invisible aspects of urban violence. A gap in literature on these gender dimensions is that of men’s construction of masculinities – and how these constructions are challenged during times. An important set of invisible phenomena within urban spaces and their peripheries includes the positive and decolonial responses that occur, including non-violent and feminist cultural and artistic pathways and the factors that lead men to resist to dominant, violent, or ‘hyper’ versions of masculinities. While there is a predominate focus on men’s involvement in violence, far less attention has been placed on men’s non-violent pathways. Based on examples of cultural, artistic and activist practices from the peripheries, namely those emerging in Rio de Janeiro, this article aims to discuss how artivism can challenge gender inequalities and power relations.

Stemming from a critical perspective of feminist studies on masculinities, this article proposes to explore how dominant and hegemonic masculinities are being reimagined, renegotiated and reconstructed, by understanding new patterns of violence amongst boys, on the one hand; and how care, as the opposite of violence, and a concept in construction from a feminist perspective, can be adopted, put in practise and understood. From a feminist standpoint masculinities studies need to go through a renewed problematisation of the social constructions of masculinities in a space–time context that intersects the economic crisis, health crisis and, on the other hand, implementation of legislation and initiatives for gender equality and citizenship, and is marked by social challenges that are related to the increase of gender inequality, violence indicators and extremism but also the emergence of caring masculinities that need closer attention. This feminist approach to masculinities allows us to critically challenge hegemonic models of boyhood/manhood, specifically by developing a FEMINIST THEORY OF CARING MASCULINITIES. Through a critical understanding of the new patterns and ways in which patriarchal masculinities are perpetuated in society, and placing CARE as the centrepiece and pro-active practise that opposes violence sustained models of masculinities, feminist masculinities studies can challenge dominant forms of masculinity by taking action in diverse social contexts and emphasising empathy, emotional expression, and cooperative relationships.

This article analyzes the limitations of the United Nations Security Council Resolution on Women, Peace and Security (1325/2000) as a product of the concepts of gender, violence and security underpinning it. Although it represents an important historical advance, recognizing the potential role of women in peacemaking processes and post-conflict agreements, and ensuring that violence against them is taken seriously both nationally and internationally, the Resolution nevertheless has a number of limitations and challenges. It is argued here that the Resolution is (only) a first step towards the recognition of the connections and possibilities of dialogue between gender, violence and security, and that it does not necessarily transform the way each concept and the connections between them are understood within the United Nations, its member states and even non-governmental organizations dedicated to gender issues, particularly women’s groups. The limits of the Resolution are questioned by analyzing contexts of armed violence other than wars or post-conflict situations that are not covered by 1325, focusing particularly on their gender dynamics.

Research on gender‐based violence highlights the need to engage men in prevention work through social change programs that present care as a powerful antidote to violence. Implementation of such programs worldwide provides many examples of how education and support for fathers and fathers‐to‐be can promote healthy masculinities and relationships with an intimate partner and their children. This article aims to explore the findings and lessons learned from the pilot of the European Union‐funded Promotion, Awareness Raising and Engagement of men in Nurture Transformations (PARENT) project (PARENT) which sought to develop and pilot curricula adapted from the internationally tested Program P methodology. The PARENT pilot worked in four European countries to provide training activities for social, educational, and health professionals, as well as education groups for fathers and parents, with the overarching goal of preventing domestic violence through the promotion of engaged fatherhood. By reporting the results from mixed‐methods impact evaluations of pilot programs conducted with professionals and parents, this article discusses how gender‐synchronous father‐focused training can contribute to a shift toward increased positive engagement of fathers during the first 1000 days of a child's life. The article conveys the pilot's promising impact on the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of professionals and parents, and it examines some of the key contextual factors, limitations, and implementation approaches that plausibly contributed to the PARENT pilot outcomes, with the aim to formulate useful considerations for future scale‐up efforts or the future implementation of similar programs to engage fathers in nurturing care and violence prevention.