In January of the same year, women took to the streets and social media in historic numbers to demand action. Despite nationwide outrage and debate across social media, only one in ten voices speaking out were male.

Silence in the face of such violence is deadly. Femicide ends with murder; but it starts with unchecked moments of everyday misogyny, aggression, and control. Many men stay silent for fear of overstepping bounds, losing respect, or interfering in what they perceive as private matters. Their silence signals acceptance to perpetrators, allowing the cycle to continue. We needed men to speak up, break the silence, and act.

Subverting a misogynistic meme to unlock meaningful change

Every year across Africa, the “Men’s Conference” meme surfaces around Valentine’s Day. It’s a long-running joke – men claiming they have to attend a mythical conference to avoid romantic commitments – but beneath the humor lies disengagement, misogyny, and avoidance of responsibility.

The team saw an opportunity to flip it into something entirely different.

Enter Abel Mutua: national hero, actor, comedian, YouTuber with 2.6 million followers, and fresh off his recent film Makosa Ni Yangu, the biggest African film premiere of 2024, which tackled violence against women head-on.

A dog-whistle to the silent male majority

One week before Valentine’s Day, Abel posted a simple challenge: Why don’t men talk to each other about the real stuff?

The question struck a nerve. Replies flooded in, clamouring for a forum – a Men’s Conference.

And Abel delivered.

On Valentine’s Day 2025, Abel aired a 20-minute feature of the first-ever Men’s Conference, filmed by award-winning director Isaya Evans, who had lost a colleague to femicide the previous year. Men from all walks of life – influencers, fathers, priests, businessmen, retirees – came together for unscripted, unfiltered dialogue that no one expected.

This real Men’s Conference elicited new and much needed dialogue. These ordinary men explored the meaning of masculinity, the importance of accountability, and how to dismantle the attitudes that fuel violence against women.

From the room came the rallying cry Safisha Rada – Swahili for “lean up your act” – a call for men to confront and change harmful behaviors.

A movement in motion

The conversation didn’t stay in that room. That night, Abel appeared on The Trend, one of Kenya’s most popular late-night talk shows. Men took to drive-time national radio, joined live TV interviews, and shared their stories on social media, continuing the conversation in spaces where it mattered most.

More than 200 influencers – musicians, comedians, athletes, faith leaders – joined in, spreading the message to millions through social media, radio, and television. #SafishaRada trended on Twitter and TikTok, as WhatsApp and Telegram groups buzzed with discussion.

The impact

Across platforms, Safisha Rada reached 48.8 million people. Media coverage alone engaged 87% of the Kenyan population. Nearly 90% of active social media users in Kenya saw the campaign.

Through an online survey, the team measured a tangible impact on men’s intention to act:

• 34% increase in willingness to challenge abusive attitudes among peers
• 46% increase in belief that peers would call out gender-based violence
• 50% increase in belief that peers should call out gender-based violence

And it doesn’t end there

Our movement is going strong. Abel is already asking his audience what they want at the next Men’s Conference. The appetite is real, and the energy is building.

Next year, when people search for “Men’s Conference,” they will not only find old jokes and misogynistic memes. They will find Kenyan men calling for accountability, speaking openly about change, and challenging the culture that fuels violence against women.

Co-written by Abel Mutua, Hivos, the We Lead consortium, Nendo and M&C Saatchi.