Engaging Boys and Men in RH: A Gender Transformative Approach

1
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

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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

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Transformative ProgramsChallenging 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

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Men as Partners Working with Men in a Gender
Framework
Men as Clients
Men as Agents of Change
Men as Supportive Partners
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The Spectrum of ChangeImplementing an
Ecological Model

• Supporting Health Care Providers
• Changing and Supporting Organizational Practices
• Fostering Coalitions and Networks
• Influencing Policy and Legislation

• Strengthening Individual Knowledge Skills
• Facilitating Peer Family Support
• Mobilizing Communities

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Group Education Sample Session

• Engaging Boys and Men in RH A Gender
  Transformative Approach
• The ACQUIRE Project New York, New York

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Applications/Results

• Engaging Boys and Men in RH A Gender
  Transformative Approach
• The ACQUIRE Project New York, New York

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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

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Nigeria IUD Revitalization

• Results
• 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

IUD uptake 2005-7
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Nepal Young Marrieds

• Project Overview (2005-2007)
• Trained married adolescents as peer educators to
  provide RH information by organizing individual
  and group educational events
• 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

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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

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Nepal Young Marrieds
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South Africa HIV/Gender-based Violence

• Project Overview (October 2005-present)
• Focusing on HIV and gender-based violence via
  Ecological Model
• 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)
• PEPFAR Programme areas including
• - AB/OP prevention
• - Male-friendly VCT
• - HIV Palliative Care
• Engaging Media Practitioners/Celebrities

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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, Male-friendly HIV
  Services
• Over 10 million reached via mass media

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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 Mens March(2007), MAP Pledge adopted
  by Postal Services linked to Orange Wristbands
  disseminated
• Sisonke Campaign Launch in August (Womens
  Month) with celebrity men showing commitment to
  women by getting tested
• Evaluation Study (secondary school students)

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South Africa HIV/Gender-Based Violence
N139 Project and Evaluation Research Services,
2003
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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 Ive 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
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South Africa HIV/Gender-Based Violence

• Strength I am a Partner Campaigns

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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

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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

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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

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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

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Gender Norms Initiative

• Results
• 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 Mens
  Conference
  Tanzania Policy Review)

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Lessons Learned

• Engaging Boys and Men in RH A Gender
  Transformative Approach
• The ACQUIRE Project New York, New York

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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
  socio-economic conditions.

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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