30. March 2006
Partnership with Men and Boys
Men's Roles in Achieving the Millenium Development Goals
According to the ICPD Programme of Action, “Changes in both men’s and women’s knowledge, attitudes and behaviour are necessary conditions for achieving the harmonious partnership of men and women. Men play a key role in bringing about gender equality since, in most societies, men exercise preponderant power in nearly every sphere of life, ranging from personal decisions regarding the size of families to the policy and programme decisions taken at all levels of Government. It is essential to improve communication between men and women on issues of sexuality and reproductive health, and the understanding of their joint responsibilities, so that men and women are equal partners in public and private life.” 1
Because gender norms and stereotypes limit the possibilities of both women and men, gender equality can be a winning proposition for both— “double happiness” in the words of one campaign to encourage men to take on more domestic responsibility. Men themselves are increasingly challenging notions of “masculinity” that restrict their humanity, limit their participation in the lives of their children, and put themselves and their partners at risk. Many want to become more supportive husbands and fathers, but need support to overcome deeply entrenched ideas about gender relations. Moreover, because they bear responsibility for many reproductive health problems, men play an indispensable role in their solution. Around the world many innovative programmes are leveraging the positive involvement of men in the struggle for equality and reproductive health. Some initiatives encourage joint participation in decisions about contraception, emergency plans for pregnancy and labour and voluntary HIV testing. Others emphasize men as agents of positive change and encourage them to question gender norms more broadly. Some work with adolescent boys at a formative and potentially risky time in their lives. A few initiatives manage to reach large numbers of men in their places of employment or in military or police institutions. Most programmes, however, are small compared to the scale of the challenge of transforming gender relations. Stronger efforts to involve men more fully in reproductive health, family life and gender equality are urgently needed.
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