Transcript Title of Presentation

Engaging Boys and Men in RH:
A Gender Transformative
Approach
Theresa Castillo
Gabi Hecker
Kent Klindera
Manisha Mehta
The ACQUIRE Project
New York, New York
Session Agenda

Overview of Men As Partners ® Model/Frameworks –
Manisha

Interactive Session from Group Education Manual –
Gabi and Theresa

Applications/Results –
Kent

Lessons Learned –
Manisha

Questions and Answers
Transformative Programs:
Challenging Male Gender Norms
 Approaches that reinforce negative
messages about gender
 Gender-neutral programming
 Gender-adaptive programming
 Transformative programs
Adapted from Gupta, SIECUS Report, Vol.26, No.5, 2001
Men as Partners: Working with Men in a
Gender Framework
Men as Clients
Men as
Supportive
Partners
Men as
Agents of
Change
The Spectrum of Change:
Implementing an Ecological Model



Strengthening Individual
Knowledge & Skills
Facilitating Peer & Family
Support
Mobilizing Communities




Supporting Health Care
Providers
Changing and Supporting
Organizational Practices
Fostering Coalitions and
Networks
Influencing Policy and
Legislation
Group Education
Sample Session
Engaging Boys and Men in RH: A Gender
Transformative Approach
The ACQUIRE Project
New York, New York
Applications/Results
Engaging Boys and Men in RH: A Gender
Transformative Approach
The ACQUIRE Project
New York, New York
Nigeria – IUD Revitalization
Project Overview (2006-2007):

MAQ/IUD Project in partnership with COMPASS/Nigeria

Participatory needs assessment recognized need for more male
support of IUD/contraceptives in general

Conducted workshops with leaders from Community Coalitions on
male involvement in the promotion and acceptance of IUD as a family
planning method

Conducted workshops with staff from FP clinics on male-friendly
services, men as clients/supportive partners
Nigeria – IUD Revitalization
Results

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Service statistics from pilot sites in
Lagos and Kano showed IUD uptake
has increased, especially compared
with other sites in Nigeria where
MAP activities were not conducted
Motivated community-based partners
to infuse MAP into SRH life skills
education

Sustained involvement of men in
COMPASS community coalitions

Created demand for male involvement
in fistula care and prevention programs
3000
2500
2000
Y1 Q1
Y2 Q2
Y3 Q1
1500
1000
500
0
LOS
NSW
FCT
BCH
IUD uptake 2005-7
KAN
Nepal – Young Marrieds
Project Overview (2005-2007):

Trained married adolescents as peer educators to provide RH
information by organizing individual and group educational events
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Created an enabling environment for married adolescents by
working with influential family and community members to raise
awareness of adolescent health needs and rights

Supported local health facilities to
provide youth-friendly services
Nepal – Young Marrieds
Results

Overall, the mean number of ANC visits increased from 2.7 to 3.7 visits

Median age at marriage increased significantly from 14 to 16 years;
Median age at gauna rose from 15 to 16 years. Results indicate an
increasing trend to postpone marriage & gauna in the project districts,
and to arrange marriage & gauna ceremonies at the same time

Peer educators established child marriage eradication committees
(CMECs) in 33 districts with support from local leaders and
organizations. To institutionalize efforts, the project, in collaboration
with 22 organizations, organized a child marriage and dowry system
eradication conference in 2007 where they developed an advocacy
agenda
Nepal – Young Marrieds
Attitude
Female (%)
Male (%)
Pre
Post
Pre
Post
A man does not have the right to decide
when to have sex with his wife
37.6
52.3
26.9
42.5
It is acceptable for a woman to insist on
condom use with her partner
51.4
72.5
72.0
80.0
It is not acceptable for a man to beat his
partner under certain circumstances.
82.7
87.9
69.4
82.2
South Africa – HIV/Gender-based Violence
Project Overview (October 2005-present):

Focusing on HIV and gender-based violence via Ecological Model
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Building capacity national and community-based NGOs and government to
develop gender transformative programming

Working with various populations (South African Police Services, university
students, performing/visual artists; secondary school students, community
leaders, faith-community members, home-based care organizations;
advocacy groups, among others)

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PEPFAR Programme areas including:
- AB/OP prevention
- Male-friendly VCT
- HIV Palliative Care
Engaging Media Practitioners/Celebrities
South Africa – HIV/Gender-Based Violence
Results – PEPFAR Indicators:

387,079 reached with AB/OP
prevention messages

5623 tested (since March 2008 majority male)

2797 provided HIV palliative care

6030 trained in Prevention, Malefriendly HIV Services
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Over 10 million reached via mass media
South Africa – HIV/Gender-Based Violence
Results:

32 community-based and national NGOs,
and government partners; concept of
“Transformation Agents”

16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence –SA Million
Men’s March(2007), MAP Pledge adopted by Postal Services –
linked to Orange Wristbands disseminated

“Sisonke” Campaign – Launch in August (Women’s Month) with
celebrity men showing commitment to women by getting tested
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Evaluation Study (secondary school students)
South Africa – HIV/Gender-Based Violence
Statement
% Agree
Pre
Workshop
% Agree
3 months
Post Workshop
Men must make the decisions in a
relationship
46%
25%
Women who dress sexy want to be raped
39%
18%
It is normal for men to sometimes beat
their wives
82%
38%
It is OK for a woman to refuse sex
without a condom
57%
70%
N=139 ; Project and Evaluation Research Services, 2003
South Africa – HIV/Gender-Based Violence
“I used to use the Bible to defend patriarchy. I now use it to challenge
gender stereotypes.”
Male MAP Participant and Church Leader,
Umtata, South Africa
“It was the first time I felt respected by men in my life, the first
time I’ve felt like men really listened to what I had to say. I now
believe that there are good men out there.”
Female MAP workshop Participant
Thokoza, South Africa
South Africa – HIV/Gender-Based Violence
Strength & I am a Partner Campaigns
Gender Norms Initiative
Program Overview (June 2007 – present)
HIV and AIDS focus:

Field Support for male gender norms
initiative Ethiopia, Namibia, Mozambique
and Tanzania

To integrate evidence-based program
models and practices into HIV/AIDS
prevention, care, and treatment programs to
achieve large-scale, positive change in male
norms, roles, and behaviors
Gender Norms Initiative
Programme Objectives:
– Technical assistance and training: To ensure integration and
application of evidence-based approaches and to support program
innovation with PEPFAR partners
– Strategic planning assistance: For development of a “national
response”- to achieve a more comprehensive and coordinated
approach to changing male norms and behaviors
– Evaluation: Of program scale-up and changes in norms and
individual behavior
Gender Norms Initiative
Results - PEPFAR Indicators:

Provide training (3-5 days) and ongoing
capacity- building assistance to 58 NGO
PEPFAR partners in the four countries

1656 Individuals Trained in ME group education

150 individuals trained in ME community
mobilization

161 individuals trained in male-friendly services
Gender Norms Initiative
Types of technical and capacity-building assistance:
 Program Design
 Implementation
 Strategic Planning
 Needs Assessment
 Curriculum Development and Review
 IEC Development
 Monitoring and Evaluation
 Training in Group Education,
Community Mobilization and
Service Delivery
 Policy Review and Assessment
 Advocacy
 Networking
Gender Norms Initiative
Results:
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Impact evaluations being conducted in Ethiopia and Namibia
Development of Community Action Teams (CATs) at local level
Response from faith-based groups to develop manuals
Collaborations with U.S. Peace Corps
Engagement of Men in “PPTCT”
Development of MenEngage Networks (e.g. National Response)
High level support for the initiative
(Namibia Men’s Conference;
Tanzania Policy Review)
Lessons Learned
Engaging Boys and Men in RH: A Gender
Transformative Approach
The ACQUIRE Project
New York, New York
Lessons Learned

Transformative programming &
capacity building requires
significant time, effort, and
support

Quality oversight needs to be
built in when scaling-up

Linkages between partners
critical but sometimes difficult

Need to work with men
addressing broader socioeconomic conditions.
Lessons Learned

Present men as potential
partners capable of playing a
positive role in the health and
well being of their partners,
families and communities

Build organizational cultures
that are committed to working
with men and gender equity

Activities have to focus on more
than individual change