Meet the MenCare Changemakers: Global Leaders Advancing Caring Manhood and Gender Equality

May 6th, 2026 – Meet the MenCare Changemakers, a global network of influential leaders from more than 40 countries spanning business, media, culture, civil society and government. This month marks the inaugural MenCare Changemaker Summit in Rio de Janeiro, where these changemakers will come together for the first time for four days of solutions-focused workshops and collaboration created in partnership with global gender equality charity WOW – Women of the World. Le MenCare Changemakers are working together to advance health and wellbeing for men and boys alongside women and girls, and to address some of the most urgent and complex challenges facing men, boys and masculinities today – from online harms and democratic backsliding to gaps in health, education, and care.

Selected for their leadership and impact, the Changemakers are at the heart of a two-year global journey to drive solutions, shift norms and accelerate progress toward gender equality and caring, connected masculinities. The Changemakers are organized across seven action tracks, each focused on a critical area for change:

• Caring online spaces – in partnership with Safe Online
• Caring manhood in cities and regions – in partnership with Van Leer Foundation
• Democracy, violent extremism, and tech-enabled harms – in partnership with The Christchurch Call
• Men’s health and health for all – in partnership with Global Action on Men’s Health
• Caring manhood in workplaces – in partnership with Champions of Change Coalition
• Men and care policies – in partnership with Alianza Global por los Cuidados (Global Alliance for Care)
• Boys and education – in partnership with American Institute for Boys and Men

Across these tracks, Changemakers will collaborate to develop and scale solutions that promote caregiving, prevent violence, strengthen communities and build more inclusive societies.

This includes leaders such as Cynthia Miller-Idriss, a leading expert on extremism and radicalization working to prevent online recruitment into violent movements, Luciano Ramos, Executive Director, Instituto Mapear and one of the most active voices in Brazil on issues related to masculinities and fatherhood, working to promote gender equity and prevent violence,  Felipe Ramos, co-founder and COO of PapodeHomem and Instituto PDH who leads programs that engage men as allies in building more equitable, inclusive, and emotionally healthy environments, and Emma Walsh, founder of Parents At Work, who is advancing workplace policies that better support caregivers and families. Together, they reflect the breadth of expertise and action driving this global effort.

“True democracy asks more than casting a ballot; it demands that each of us – especially as men – step into the roles of caregivers, connectors and collaborators, so our communities don’t just survive but flourish,” said Gary Barker, Founder and CEO of Equimundo.

From policymakers and researchers to activists, corporate leaders and cultural influencers, the Changemakers bring diverse expertise and lived experience, reflecting a shared commitment to advancing gender equality through practical, collective action.

Presented in partnership with WOW – Women of the World, the Changemaker journey also highlights the power of culture, storytelling and the arts in shifting norms and engaging wider audiences.

There will be an 8th strand of activity called, “The Power of Story” presented by WOW, which will bring together leading artists from the UK and Brazil including Adjani Salmon, Jordan Stephens, Kay Rufai, Juca Fiis and Patu Araújo to develop the role of arts, storytelling and festival as essential tools for social change. They will create a toolkit for creating events and festivals focused on men and boys. 

“Time and again I have seen first hand how the arts can transform possibilities for people, places and ideas… [they] can really begin to shift embedded behaviour and foster understanding,” said Colette Bailey, CEO of WOW – Women of the World.

The MenCare Changemakers will convene in Rio de Janeiro from 27–30 May 2026 for the inaugural MenCare Changemaker Summit, a four-day global gathering to exchange ideas, build partnerships and accelerate action in partnership with Brazilian partners Instituto Mapear, Instituto PapodeHomem. On 29 May, the summit will open up to the public with the Boys & Men Festival, a one day free event across two major cultural venues in Rio. The full line-up can be found ici.  The journey will continue through 2027, sustaining momentum for a growing global movement centered on care, equality and connection.

At a time when conversations around masculinity are increasingly visible, and often polarized, the MenCare Changemakers offer a different path forward: one grounded in care, collaboration and solutions that benefit everyone.

For media inquiries, please contact: 📧 rebecca@ladburypr.com