The Royal United Services Institute published on 18 June 2026 a study titled "Masculinities and Violence in the Horn of Africa Borderlands" by Christopher Hockey and Claudia Wallner.
This paper reveals how masculinity norms fuel conflict, violent extremism, and gender-based violence in the Kenya-Somalia-Ethiopia borderlands, shaping al-Shabaab's recruitment and deepening insecurity. It is based on interviews with experts and community members in two communities: one at the tripoint where Kenya, Ethiopia, and Somalia meet and the other at the Kenya-Somalia border on the Indian Ocean coastline.
It offers actionable recommendations for defense and security practitioners to address these interconnected challenges.
